In addition to coins, antiquities and other things, I collect affordable production-used movie props from time to time, and (naturally) have a penchant for numismatic-ish items even in that field.
I recently got a prop from Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood (2010), which appears to be a replica of a silver groat issued by a King Edward—though I’m not sure which. At least the obverse legend seems to read “EDWARDVS.”
26mm in diameter and 2.96g in weight. Seems to be made of some alloy rather than plastic.
I’m not a native English speaker who can’t even read cursive, let alone medieval writings, so I’m having some trouble identifying the coin after which this prop was designed. I can’t tell if a letter is supposed to be a T or I or R.
So, assuming this design was copied faithfully after a medieval coin, is it possible to tell which Edward issued the original? ...And, well, at least I’m correct that it’s a coin issued by an Edward, right?
I just find it rather amusing, whichever Edward it is, that while the movie was (clearly) set in the times of Richard the Lionheart and John Lackland, it used anachronistic coins as props. But I suppose the filmmakers didn’t find contemporary pennies attractive enough on screen? They were quite small and I think the portraits of Edwards look better than those of Richard or John. Also the coins are probably not focused on in any of the shots in the film, and even if some details are onscreen, perhaps the long-cross design looks similar enough to deceive the history buffs in the audience?
