Stephen (1135-1154), Stephen (1135-1154), Penny, ‘Watford’ type, Bristol, Gurdan, [––]RDAN : ON : BR [–––], 1.39gm (cf. Mack 4b; Harris, SCMB 1983, p.35; N 873; S 1278). Obverse almost worn flat (deliberately?), reverse half flat but fine (£40-60)

Bristol and South Wales were the strongholds of Matilda, and many of the known coins of Bristol by the moneyer Gurdan from better ‘metropolitan’ dies punched by the Fitz Otto workshop (like this one) have obverses either worn flat or deliberately erased, although the present specimen is from a different reverse to the three ‘erased die’ specimens of this moneyer described by Mack (BNJ 1966, p.59; BNJ 1992, pl.2, 18)