Groat silver coin

Timeline

1. 1279–1290Tower Mint · EnglandIn 1279 Edward I comprehensively reformed the kingdom's silver coinage, introducing the fourpenny groat, standardizing weight and silver content, replacing debased older coins, and strengthening royal control over minting.
2. c. 1290–1400Kingdom of England · EnglandThe groat became an important silver coin for large everyday transactions and tax payments in England, circulating widely in the markets of towns such as London and York, and maintaining a fixed exchange rate with continental gold coins such as florins.
3. c. 1400–1500London · EnglandDuring the Hundred Years' War and the Wars of the Roses the kingdom repeatedly adjusted silver coin fineness and denominations; the groat survived various reissues and retained an important position on the eve of the Tudor dynasty, setting a precedent for the modern pound sterling system.