Ipswich, Roger, Roundels Type -

Stephen penny containing a group of 3 roundels in the reverse legend.  A new type for the roundels variant of East Anglia (Spink 1288) which often has three larger roundels in a horizontal line across the reverse.   Very rare, and recorded by Martin Allen as EMC 2020.0131. 

The reverse reads +ROGER:ON:GIhEVI, so this is a coin of the Ipswich moneyer Roger. This is a new type for a moneyer previously known in Stephen types 1 and 2, and in the Roundels type, which is a local Suffolk variant of type 1.

Images courtesy of Jason Jones.

One of the very distinctive group of coins from East Anglian mints (Ipswich, Thetford, Sudbury and Bury St Edmunds) with three roundels on the reverse. Stephen was captured at the battle of Lincoln, 2 February 1141, and the coins were struck under the auspices of his wife, Matilda of Boulogne, who was tireless in raising funds, and armies, while her husband was in captivity. The roundels are a reference to Matilda's family badge of the House of Boulogne.