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One of two coin hoards (see also NJ90NW0114) found during construction of the St Nicholas Centre. This is one of three coin hoards (see also NJ90NW0068) found in Aberdeen's city centre and together they form the largest concentration of medieval coin hoards found anywhere in Britain, and possibly Europe. Workmen excavating the foundations for the new St. Nicholas shopping centre in Aberdeen city centre in November 1983 discovered a hoard of 4,500 medieval silver pennies. The coins were mostly 14th century dating from the reigns of Edward I to Edward III of England. A class xvd penny minted in York in the 1330s provided a terminus post quem for the hoard. This is the earliest possible date which the hoard could have been concealed. The fourteenth century hoards from Aberdeen city centre, of which the contents are known, at least 95% of the totals are English coins. Scotland in the early fourteenth century was much less wealthy than its southern neighbour and could not afford the high cost of importing sufficient bullion to mint large quantities of coins. Nevertheless, small numbers of Scottish silver pennies of the reigns of Alexander II, John Balliol and Robert the Bruce are present as are pennies minted in Ireland for Edward I and II of England. Also included are a few continental imitations of the English penny struck in France and the Low Countries. The total of 95% or more English coins is consistent with contemporary hoards from other parts of Scotland. It is also worth noting that, since Scottish and English coins were of equal value in the mid-fourteenth century, many hoards found in England contain some examples of the Scottish silver penny.
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Historic Environment Records (HER) 
Aberdeen City
HER -
NJ90NW0113 - ST NICHOLAS STREET, ABERDEEN