Henry III Long Cross Penny
Cromarty Courthouse Museum

This coin is one of many silver coins that have been found by metal detectorists in the fields above Cromarty in the last few years.  They have been found in the fields where the medieval annual fair was held along with many other metal objects such as pieces of horse harness, spurs, bells, and weights. They show that the fair was an important and thriving event in medieval life.  

This coin was minted between 1251 and 1272 and has King Henry’s head on one side and a long cross, a Christian symbol, on the other. It is a relatively low value coin, but it would certainly have been a serious loss to the person who dropped it.    

The coin is an English coin that was in use at a time when Scotland was a separate kingdom.  This indicates that trade was going on between the two kingdoms and Cromarty had a wide influence on this trade.