The one or two specimens of the Alfred half-pence, in the Thomas collection, were, previous to the Cuerdale find, sub ject to doubt and suspicion; but that extraordinary discovery, while it served to dispel many doubts which enshrouded the history of the monetary remains of that period, also enriched the numismatic depositories with many a choice specimen of several most desirable varieties. Among those the half-pennies of Alfred were not the least appreciable.