Bare headed bust left with sceptre/Voided short cross with letters CRVX within angles

Colchester / Wulfine

S1148; 20mm, 1.27g

A sharply struck example in good silver.

Æthelred II ‘The Unready’ – 978-1013/1014-1016: The eldest son of Eadgar, Æthelred became king at the mere age of 12 following the brutal murder of his half-brother Edward. Young and easy to manipulate, he came to depend on his councillors for their prudent advice – an aspect in which they badly let him down. Though his reign is noted for its economic reforms and a high standard for the English coinage, it was marred by Scandinavian raids, periods of acute social instability and famine. Initially adopting a policy of paying the invaders to go away, Æthelred abruptly U-turned in 1002 and massacred many ethnic Danes resident in England. This policy backfired spectacularly, actually causing more Scandinavians to take up arms against him. Displaced from the throne in 1013 by Swein Forkbeard, he briefly returned to rule for a second time in 1014 after the latter’s untimely death – only to die himself shortly afterwards.

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Bust left wearing pointed helmet, sceptre/Voided cross within circle

London /Wulfstan

S1158; 18mm, 0.89g

This coin comes with a previous collectors printed label.

Cnut ‘The Great’ – 1016-1035: A prominent Scandinavian prince and junior member of the Danish royal house, Cnut spent much of the early 11th century as an active participant on raids directed at England. In 1013, his father Swein Forkbeard invaded England and became its king by dint of conquest – though died shortly afterwards. Cnut was forced to retreat back to Denmark, but returned to England in 1015. Defeating the English at Assandun in 1016 and forcing a settlement, Cnut eventually succeeded to the throne of all England. An outwardly pious man, he gave generously to religious houses during his reign and went on pilgrimage to Rome – despite being a murderous bigamist. During his near twenty-year long rule, he came to unite England, Denmark, Norway and part of Sweden into the powerful but short-lived ‘North Sea Empire’.

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Bust left wearing pointed helmet, sceptre/Voided cross within circle

Standford / Leofwold

S1158; 18mm, 0.96g

This coin comes with a previous handwritten label.

Cnut ‘The Great’ – 1016-1035: A prominent Scandinavian prince and junior member of the Danish royal house, Cnut spent much of the early 11th century as an active participant on raids directed at England. In 1013, his father Swein Forkbeard invaded England and became its king by dint of conquest – though died shortly afterwards. Cnut was forced to retreat back to Denmark, but returned to England in 1015. Defeating the English at Assandun in 1016 and forcing a settlement, Cnut eventually succeeded to the throne of all England. An outwardly pious man, he gave generously to religious houses during his reign and went on pilgrimage to Rome – despite being a murderous bigamist. During his near twenty-year long rule, he came to unite England, Denmark, Norway and part of Sweden into the powerful but short-lived ‘North Sea Empire’.

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Bust left wearing pointed helmet, sceptre/Voided cross within circle

Cambridge / Grim

S1158; 19mm, 0.93g

Cnut ‘The Great’ – 1016-1035: A prominent Scandinavian prince and junior member of the Danish royal house, Cnut spent much of the early 11th century as an active participant on raids directed at England. In 1013, his father Swein Forkbeard invaded England and became its king by dint of conquest – though died shortly afterwards. Cnut was forced to retreat back to Denmark, but returned to England in 1015. Defeating the English at Assandun in 1016 and forcing a settlement, Cnut eventually succeeded to the throne of all England. An outwardly pious man, he gave generously to religious houses during his reign and went on pilgrimage to Rome – despite being a murderous bigamist. During his near twenty-year long rule, he came to unite England, Denmark, Norway and part of Sweden into the powerful but short-lived ‘North Sea Empire’.

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Reform Coinage AD 973-5

Small diademed bust left, EADGAR/Small Cross

Lincoln / Grind

S1141; 20x11mm, 0.88g

A pleasing example with good portrait at a fraction of the price of a complete penny.

Eadgar (959-975): Known as ‘The Peaceful’ – Eadgar’s reign flies in stark contrast to that of his older brother. His reign was indeed stable and peaceable – reflecting to some the very pinnacle of the 10^th century English state. Overthrowing many social norms, he was not crowned until 973 – perhaps keen to make a political statement in celebrating the very peak of his power and authority. Uniquely, his third wife Ælfthryth was anointed as Queen alongside him – an unprecedented occurrence. For numismatists his reign is of acute interest – as he instigated a major reform of both weights and measures alongside with the coinage itself. From 972, coins were no longer struck regionally – instead, new types using standardised, centrally produced dies would be issued every few years and the old money called in for re-minting. The use of non-portrait designs was dropped totally, every subsequent coin struck in England bearing the image of the King on its obverse face. His premature death in 975 marked the beginning of a decline which England would take decades to emerge from.

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Armoured bust left in radiate helmet/Voided cross on quatrefoil

Winchester / Leofwold

S1152; 18mm, 1.43g

Æthelred II ‘The Unready’ – 978-1013/1014-1016: The eldest son of Eadgar, Æthelred became king at the mere age of 12 following the brutal murder of his half-brother Edward. Young and easy to manipulate, he came to depend on his councillors for their prudent advice – an aspect in which they badly let him down. Though his reign is noted for its economic reforms and a high standard for the English coinage, it was marred by Scandinavian raids, periods of acute social instability and famine. Initially adopting a policy of paying the invaders to go away, Æthelred abruptly U-turned in 1002 and massacred many ethnic Danes resident in England. This policy backfired spectacularly, actually causing more Scandinavians to take up arms against him. Displaced from the throne in 1013 by Swein Forkbeard, he briefly returned to rule for a second time in 1014 after the latter’s untimely death – only to die himself shortly afterwards.

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Hiberno Norse AD 1035-1060 Silver Penny Long Cross. Phase 3

Imitating Aethelred II’s Long Cross coinage, blundered legends.

Hands in 2 angles, trefoil of pellets.

S6132; 18mm, 0.93g

Comes with previous collectors handwritten label, ex Hibernia collection.

View Video Here

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Hiberno Norse AD 1035-1060 Silver Penny Long Cross. Phase 3

Imitating Aethelred II’s Long Cross coinage, blundered legends.

Hand and pellets in 2 angles

S6132A; 17mm, 0.98g

Comes with previous collectors handwritten label, ex Hibernia collection.

View Video Here

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Last Small Cross type

Winchester / Ordbeorht

S1154; 19mm, 1.47g

Comes with previous collectors printed label

Æthelred II ‘The Unready’ – 978-1013/1014-1016: The eldest son of Eadgar, Æthelred became king at the mere age of 12 following the brutal murder of his half-brother Edward. Young and easy to manipulate, he came to depend on his councillors for their prudent advice – an aspect in which they badly let him down. Though his reign is noted for its economic reforms and a high standard for the English coinage, it was marred by Scandinavian raids, periods of acute social instability and famine. Initially adopting a policy of paying the invaders to go away, Æthelred abruptly U-turned in 1002 and massacred many ethnic Danes resident in England. This policy backfired spectacularly, actually causing more Scandinavians to take up arms against him. Displaced from the throne in 1013 by Swein Forkbeard, he briefly returned to rule for a second time in 1014 after the latter’s untimely death – only to die himself shortly afterwards.

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Long Cross type

Bare headed bust left/Voided Long Cross

Chester / Aelfnoth

S1151; 20mm, 1.72g

Comes with previous collectors printed label

Æthelred II ‘The Unready’ – 978-1013/1014-1016: The eldest son of Eadgar, Æthelred became king at the mere age of 12 following the brutal murder of his half-brother Edward. Young and easy to manipulate, he came to depend on his councillors for their prudent advice – an aspect in which they badly let him down. Though his reign is noted for its economic reforms and a high standard for the English coinage, it was marred by Scandinavian raids, periods of acute social instability and famine. Initially adopting a policy of paying the invaders to go away, Æthelred abruptly U-turned in 1002 and massacred many ethnic Danes resident in England. This policy backfired spectacularly, actually causing more Scandinavians to take up arms against him. Displaced from the throne in 1013 by Swein Forkbeard, he briefly returned to rule for a second time in 1014 after the latter’s untimely death – only to die himself shortly afterwards.

The post Aethelred II AD 978-1016 Silver Penny Long Cross type Chester appeared first on Silbury Coins.