`Saxon Coins
-------->Remember, postage is included<--------
**Extra images now
added**
Early Anglo-Saxon Gold Coins
WAu-7762:
**Choice**
Saxon Merovingian Gold Tremissis. Wico in Pontio (Quentovic), c. 620-640. Tremissis (Gold, 13mm, 1.26g, 0h), Moneyer Dutta. +VVICCO FIT Laureate bust to right. Rev. DVTTA
MONET, Cross on three steps. Belfort 4959. NM II p.
55, 14. Prou 1125. Rare but rarer still being centrally struck and such good grade.
Clear and well struck, good very fine or better. The Merovingian Dynasty was based in ancient Gaul (which is now France) and dates from the middle of the
5th century AD. The coins were very much
trading pieces and many have been found in Britain as Saxon trade between the
Continent and Britain was extremely robust. Similar examples have been found as far west
as Cornwall and as far north as Northumbria.
Ex Ian Millington (an expert on
Anglo Saxon coinage), ex Silbury Coins (their
ticket), ex DNW. You will not find a better example of this
early Saxon gold coin. It really is a
choice coin. £3,150 RESERVED
WAu-7845: Early Anglo-Saxon English Crondall Gold Thrysma or
Shilling. Witman
type with obverse bust right, a trident in front. Circa 620-45. The reverse has a blundered legend
surrounding a crude cross with what is a very different 4th terminal to what
we'd normally expect to see on this type.
Sutherland type IV.1, Spink 753.
Of excellent gold content - it was from this point onwards that the
metal used for Saxon coinage was increasingly and progressively "watered
down" with silver (the post Crondall and
European types have that insipid gold colour about them) until by circa AD
660's, they were all entirely silver in metal content. Recorded on the E.M.C.
database (2022-0426). The Crondall (Hampshire) Hoard of 1828 was the single largest
hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold coins found prior to the 21st century. It comprised 97 gold coins, together with
three unstruck gold planchets and one gold-plated
object that could have been a coin forgery. Of the 97 coins, 73 were Anglo-Saxon Thrymsa and 24 were Merovingian or Frankish tremissis. The
consensus amongst historians is that hoard dates from between AD 635 and about
AD 650. The coins are now in the
collection of the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford. Of the 73 Thrysmas,
x4 in the hoard had the same obverse die as the coin listed here. All Crondall
"Native Anglo-Saxon" type Thrysmas as rare
- even the late "two emperors" type, which is invariably the one to
turn up, is rare as very few gold Saxon coins were minted and hardly any
survived - it would only be through hoards or casual field losses. An extremely important and
significant Anglo-Saxon gold coin.
£5,495 RESERVED
Early Anglo-Saxon Silver Sceats
Kings of Northumbria Saxon Coins
WSax-7842: Kings of Northumbria Saxon
Silver Styca or Penny. Eanred, 810-30 (although the reign lasted until AD 841), moneyer Eadwine. Base silver regal issue, phase 1, Spink 860. A really nice example - the much rarer
earlier silver variety (we are now regularly seeing base Stycas
selling for well in excess of £100) and excellent grade. £395
WSax-7843: Kings of Northumbria Saxon
Silver Sceatta or Penny. Eadberht, 737-58. Phase A silver regal issue, class Bi, Spink 847. A "fantastic" quadruped (currently
thought to be a stylised stag), left. Rare. £465
WSax-7948:
Kings of
Northumbria Anglo-Saxon Styca. Late Styca coinage
D - the Archiepiscopal issues: Archbishop Wigmund of York, AD 837-49/50. The moneyer is Coenred. The styca followed
on from the earlier silver sceat issues during the
Anglo-Saxon period, becoming increasingly debased; devolving from silver, to
silver alloys, to copper alloys. An
illustration as to just how powerful these clerics were lies in the gold solidus (Spink 863A), issued by Wigmund
(it being the only gold coin issued in the entire Saxon period, other
than the King Coenwulf gold penny and the much
earlier Thrymsas), potentially as an ecclesiastical
gift, at about the time of this coin.
£165
WSax-7984:
Choice, High
Grade Anglo-Saxon Silver Sceatta. Regal issue, Eadberht, 737-58.
York mint.
Obv: E◊TBERHTVΓ around a central small cross pattee, rev: Stylised quadreped
(stag), left. Chapman
48 (same dies), North 178, Spink 847.
Lightly toned and EF rather than the ascribed GVF on the accompanying
ticket. An outstanding
example of this desirable and iconic Saxon silver coin. Find better!
£695
Middle Saxon
"Hammered Silver" Issues
King Offa (757 – 796): Read about King Offa
WSax-7451: Middle Saxon OFFA PORTRAIT
Hammered Silver Penny. Light coinage, c.780-96, London mint, moneyer Ciolhard,
Spink 905. This Spink reference
encompasses many different reverses, this one being termed a Serpent reverse –
North 317. Slightly
porous with a large die flaw on the obverse, chipped edge. Larger flan (17mm), VF
grade and very rare. £2,995
Alfred The Great (871-899):
WSax-7819:
Choice Alfred
the Great Middle Saxon Hammered Silver Penny. Kings of Wessex Lunettes type, first coinage,
AD 871-75. Lyons & Mackay type A but a variant thereof being IA with dies A/a. Moneyer Dunn, Canterbury mint - MON DVNN
ETA. Diademed and draped bust
right, +AELBRED REX. 1.22g. Spink 1057, North
625. A little unevenly toned but other
than that, by far the best example I've ever seen with a good, strong no issues
edges and a grade rapidly approaching EF.
Find better! RESERVED
Late Saxon "Hammered Silver" Issues
Aethelred II (978-1016): Read about Aethelred II
WSax-8002: Aethelred
II Anglo-Saxon Hammered Silver Penny.
Last small cross type, B.M.C.1, circa 1009-17. Diademed bust left, EŠELRAED REX ANGL
RX. Reverse (very) short cross, +CYNNA
ON PINCSTR - Cynna as moneyer at the Winchester mint. Cynna is a rarer moneyer.
Spink 1154.
Deeply toned with a few minor peck marks. £495
Ex Unidentified old
dealer's ticket
Ex DNW (2019, sold to...)
Ex Steve Green
collection - his ticket
WSax-7452: Aethelred
II Late Saxon Hammered Silver Penny.
B.M.C. IIIa, Crux type, c.991-97. Spink 1148. +LEOFSTAN MO HAM – Rarer Northampton mint. Of the x64 Northampton mint Aethelred
II coins (all types) recorded on the EMC database, only x6 are Crux and only
one Crux penny is Leofstan. A rarer mint for type and a
very rare moneyer. £645
WSax-7453: Aethelred
II Late Saxon Hammered Silver Penny.
B.M.C. IIIa, Crux type, c.991-97. Spink 1148. +AELFPINE M-O PELIG – Rarer Wallingford mint. Of the x77 Northampton mint Aethelred
II coins (all types) recorded on the EMC database, only x38 are Crux and only
x4 Crux pennies are Aelfwig. Old collection toning, wavy
flan. Ex
Richard Basler collection. A rarer mint and a very
rare moneyer for type. £645
WSax-6425: Aethelred
II Hammered Silver Saxon Penny – Rarer Mint. B.M.C. IIIa. Late Saxon, 991 - 997AD. Crux type. Totnes mint town.
Moneyer AELFSTAN. Spink 1148. Ex
Bonham’s auction 2006. Rarer mint. £475
WSax-7985:
Aethelred II Late Saxon Hammered Silver Penny - Rare Mint. B.M.C. IVa,
voided long cross type, AD 997-1003.
+AELFS TAN N MO LEIG - moneyer Aelfstan
working out of the Leicester mint town. A
rare mint and an even rarer moneyer with no examples of Aelfstan being recorded for Aethelred
II B.M.C. IVa on the excellent EMC database. Good provenance, being ex Steve Green
collection, ex A.William collection (acquired Spink,
2019), ex Spink Numismatic Circular 1997.
Rare. Addendum: The reason there are no examples
of this moneyer working out of Leicester on the EMC database is because he
wasn't! The mint signature LEIG is for Chester, not Leicester.
Guilty as charged for blindly believing what is on old tickets, even big
name tickets! Thank you to Melvyn
Churchill in the States for pointing it out.
£675
WSax-7987:
Aethelred II Late Saxon Hammered Silver Penny - Rarer Mint. B.M.C. IVa,
voided long cross type, AD 997-1003.
+AEL FRIC MO N VNT - moneyer Aelfric working
out of the Huntingdon
mint town. Good provenance, being ex
Steve Green collection, ex Dr J. Hulett (acquired DNW
2017). Rare. £495
Cnut (1016-1035): Read
about Cnut.
WSax-6334: Cnut
Late Saxon Hammered Silver Penny. B.M.C.
XVI - Short cross type (1029-35/6), “+BLACAMAN O SNO”. Spink 1159. Nottingham mint. An extremely rare mint
coin. Ex Cnut hoard of 1993, ex Sharp collection, ex Baldwins, ex Spink, ex Lord Stewartby collection. Sold
with three tickets (two
shown here). A
very rare coin. £1,995
WSax-7736: Cnut
Late Saxon Hammered Silver Rare Mint Penny.
B.M.C. VIII - Quatrefoil
type (1017-23), +EDRIC O TANTV. Spink 1157. Taunton mint. An extremely rare mint
coin. Sold with old tickets (see here): ex
Doubleday 6-10-87 (£370), ex Rasmusson 2017
(£1,675). A very rare
coin. £2,195
Harold I
(1035-1040): Read about Harold I
WSax-7739:
Harold 1st
Harefoot Late Saxon Hammered Silver Penny. Jewel
Cross type, B.M.C. 1, Spring 1036-38.
Rarer Leicester mint.
Obverse diademed bust left, +HAROLD RE; reverse jewel cross of x4 ovals,
+PVLSTAN ON LEHR – moneyer Wulfstan struck at the
Leicester mint. 1.08g. Spink 1163, North 802. Same dies as SCBI 18 – Copenhagen: 200. Harold wasn’t officially king in 1036 - Harold
was elected regent of England following the death of his father
in 1035. He initially ruled England in place of his brother Harthacnut, who was stuck in Denmark due to a rebellion in Norway.
It was not until 1037 that Harold, supported by earl Leofric
and many others, was officially proclaimed king. If you’re in the market for trivia, the term Harefoot is said to mean “fleet of foot”. Harold died at Oxford on 17 March
1040, just
as Harthacnut was preparing an invasion force of
Danes, and was buried at Westminster Abbey. His body was subsequently exhumed,
beheaded, and thrown into a fen bordering the Thames when Harthacnut
assumed the throne in June 1040. The
Saxon kings were not ones to hide their feelings about people, even blood
relatives! A rarer Midland’s mint town –
it probably won’t surprise you to learn that there are only four recorded
examples of this moneyer / type combination, including this coin, with two
being in institutions and a third sold on the open market in 2016. The EMC / SCBI database records all four
examples. GVF with
original old cabinet toning. Ex
York Coins (early 2000’s, ticket price $2,250, ex Leja
Park Collection, Ex Spink. Tickets
here.
An extremely rare coin with much eye appeal. £2,195
WSax-7792:
Harold Harefoot
1st Hammered Silver Late Saxon Penny.
Voided long cross with fleur-de-lis in
the angles: B.M.C. V, circa 1038-40.
Colchester mint.
Obverse diademed bust left, +HAR: OLD RE; reverse: +GODRIC ON CONC. 0.99g. Spink 1165, North 803. Ex Mike Vosper. Attractively toned, small
surface stress mark, VF grade. A good eye-appeal coin.
Rare.
£1,685
WSax-7896:
Harold 1st Late
Saxon Hammered Silver Penny.
Fleur-de-lis type, B.M.C. V, Spring 1038-40. London mint.
Obverse armoured and
diademed bust left, +HAROLD REC R; reverse voided long cross with
fleur-de-lis between two pellets: +BRINTNER ON LV – moneyer Brintner
struck at the London mint. 0.96g. Spink 1165. Harold was elected regent of England following the death of his father
in 1035. He initially ruled England in place of his brother Harthacnut, who was stuck in Denmark due to a rebellion in Norway.
It was not until 1037 that Harold, supported by earl Leofric
and many others, was officially proclaimed king. If you’re in the market for trivia, the term Harefoot is said to mean “fleet of foot”. Harold died at Oxford on 17 March
1040, just
as Harthacnut was preparing an invasion force of
Danes, and was buried at Westminster Abbey. His body was subsequently exhumed,
beheaded, and thrown into a fen bordering the Thames when Harthacnut
assumed the throne in June 1040. The
Saxon kings were not ones to hide their feelings about people, even blood
relatives! Possibly an ex hoard coin,
now beginning to re-tone. Very nice grade.
£1,465
Harthacnut (1040-1042)
Edward the
Confessor (1042-1066): Read about Edward
The Confessor.
WSax-6969: Edward The Confessor
Saxon Hammered Silver Penny. Late Saxon – small flan type (1048-50). B.M.C. II. Sandwich mint - LIFPINE. Very rare mint town. The
obverse mark by the king’s face is a difference in height of the silver and the
reverse stress mark is surface only.
This was clearly not a good blank that they used. £635 RESERVED (T.C.25-9-23 Lay-Away)
WSax-5502: Edward The Confessor Saxon Hammered Silver Penny. Late Saxon – pyramids type (1065-66). B.M.C. XV. Stafford - GODSPINE. Extra image added here. Very rare mint town. £1,095
WSax-7974:
Edward the
Confessor Hammered Silver Saxon Penny.
Pointed helmet type, B.M.C. VII, c.1053-6 only. +STIRCOL ON EOFER - York mint. Spink 1179. An outstanding well struck example, being the
best I've ever handled, slightly impaired by the ragged flan. Easily a four figure coin otherwise. £765 RESERVED (M.He.13-1-24 Lay-Away)
Harold II (1066
only): Read
about Harold II ("Last of the Saxons")
WSax-7931:
Harold II Godwinson Final Anglo-Saxon Hammered Silver Penny. PAX type, B.M.C. 1: +MANPINE.ON.DOVER - Manwine as money at the Dover mint. H. Pagan "The Coinage of Harold II"
p.191, North 836, Spink 1186. The money
is actually a recorded moneyer but for this exact coin only, ie this is the
only recorded example. The obverse
depicts a unique portrait of Harold II - triple banded crown together with distinctive
and better executed beard and hair. Found Peasenhall (a
small village in East Suffolk) and
fully recorded on the EMC database. H. Pagan in his 1990 "Studies
in Late Anglo-Saxon Coinage" discusses this same coin in his The Coinage
of Harold II section. It is interesting
to note that there are only x4 Dover Harold II coins recorded on the database -
a cut half, this one and two others. Of
the other three, none have sceptres - very much a southern characteristic. And yet this coin does? Was this coin perhaps specially minted to
commemorate Harold's famous victory at Stamford Bridge?
Ironic if so because just three weeks later, Hastings happened.
It is interesting to note that a commoner mint, together with a much
less appealing portrait of Harold II has just sold through Spink for in excess
of £10,000 - see link
here. The famous Braintree Hoard of
late Anglo-Saxon pennies was 122 in total.
When Noonan's sold the hoard, there were only two Dover examples in the
sale, neither of which was this rarer depiction of Harold, with final prices on
those two coins at just under £12,000 and £6,500.
Both were CINSTAN moneyer and both without sceptre, making this
"with sceptre" example all the rarer.
This coin likely a unique example at this point in
time. £8,650