There were 37 medieval coins recovered in the survey, six of which certainly date between 1460 and 1485 (Figure 6.11). The latter comprise one complete double patard of Charles The Bold of Burgundy (1467–1477); two other Burgundian patards, present as fragments, from Ambion Hill; a groat of Edward IV; and a half groat and a penny, both possibly of Edward IV. In addition, the only two gold coins from the survey area, found by collectors before 2005, are of Edward IV: a gold ryal, which came from just north of the Plash, and the quarter ryal found near Dadlington windmill.³² There are several other coins where it is not clear which Edward is being identified, while even some of the earlier medieval coins could also still have been in circulation in 1485. On the basis of the closely datable stratigraphy of the Thames foreshore, supported by evidence from various medieval hoards elsewhere in the UK, it would appear that some coins, particularly pennies and groats, stayed in circulation for hundreds of years. Thus, for example, a penny of Edward I (1272–1307), who standardised the size and weight of that coin, could still have been in use in 1485, though the probability of it being in circulation is far lower than for a coin of Edward IV.

The issue of probability can be most clearly demonstrated with regard to the three Burgundian coins. As a result of a trade agreement, these coins were legal tender in England from 1477 until 1506, so their presence in our assemblage is not exceptional. For example, another such coin was reported from 6 km to the north-west of the battlefield, near Sheepy Parva, in 2005. So, we cannot simply argue that they are exotic coins which identify the presence of Burgundian mercenaries on the battlefield. However, a national search of the PAS database reveals only 99 silver Burgundian coins and thus our coins represent 3% of the national assemblage. In the Edgehill survey, which was of similar scale and intensity to Bosworth, we recovered 17 medieval coins but none was Burgundian, nor indeed were any from the reign of Edward IV. It is also interesting to note that on Barnet battlefield a Burgundian jetton was found in close association with two lead round shot.³³ All this, taken together with the distribution of the fifteenth-century coins, suggests there is a direct link to the battle.