Penny of William of Aumale, Earl of York

The coin shows a figure in armour brandishing a sword, and it is clear that it belongs to a distinctive series struck at York in the late 1140s and early 1150s during King Stephen's Civil War. The new coin is in the name of a 'William', and there can be little doubt that this is Earl William of Aumale, the major figure in the area who controlled the royal castle at York and exercised jurisdictional authority there. Initially a loyal supporter of Stephen, his allegiances changed to self-interest during the 1140s.