Rare Edward III gold ‘leopard’ coin, circulated for just seven months, sells for £70,000 after emerging from suburban home

A rare 14th-century English gold coin that circulated for only seven months has sold for £70,000 at auction, after emerging from an ordinary suburban home. According to Antiques Trade Gazette, the coin, known as a leopard and issued during the reign of King Edward III, was sold by Essex Coin Auctions on September 30, 2026, attracting competing bids from online and telephone buyers. Two telephone bidders contested the lot in the final stages, pushing it to its reported hammer price of £70,000.The coin’s short time in circulation is central to its historical significance. Edward III, who ruled England from 1327 to 1377, introduced a series of gold coins in 1344 as England sought to strengthen its own currency and support trade. The experiment included the double leopard, leopard and half-leopard. However, the coins were abandoned within months and replaced by a different gold denomination, the noble.Why Edward III introduced the gold leopardThe British Museum’s historical record explains that England’s move towards gold coinage was driven partly by the needs of international commerce. During the 1340s, gold coins from France and Florence were already widely used, and England wanted i...