H2069 - Harold II (Godwinson) (January 6th - October 14th 1066), Penny, 1.25g., Pax or Sole type, Wilton - Ælfweald, crowned bust left  holding sceptre, +HAROLD REX ANG, rev., PAX across the field, +ÆLFPOLD ON PILTI, (N.836; S.1186), attractive old cabinet toning, practically as struck with a finely detailed portrait of accomplished style, note the die engravers guide line on the inner circle still evident, scarce. $6995 SOLD

Provenance:
Very likely from the Soberton Hoard., Hampshire, 1851.

Harold Godwinson's Mint at Wilton

The mint of Wilton, with three moneyers, was unusually active during Harold's short reign, with over 40 obverse and reverse dies being used, a number only matched by London. Nearby Salisbury was inactive at the time and Wilton appears to have increased production accordingly. Wilton was a relatively wealthy but small Wiltshire town at the time of the Conquest, but most importantly, along with it's mint and moneyers, was the personal property of Harold Godwinson. H. E. Pagan suggests that the sudden rise in Wilton's output was the result of the mint's use for a special coining operation and see's Harold himself as the person most likely responsible for this. Furthermore, two of the dies are of crude hastily done work and many coins are in some way mis-struck, suggesting that they might have been produced in haste or in unexpected quantity to meet a sudden demand. Within the context of Harold's short and eventful reign it is easy to imagine several instances where 'ready cash' would have been urgently required:

■ January 1066: Uncertainty at start of the reign, when cash payments to potential opponents of the new regime would have been useful.

■ September 1066: On news of Harald Hardråde's landing in Yorkshire, defeat of an English army and capture of York.

■ October 1066: On news of William the Conqueror's landing in Sussex.

■ Post October 14: Following his death and defeat at Hastings, posthumous striking at the mint or at a mobile 'campaign mint' using Wilton dies, to help finance the resistance to William.

Interestingly and in contrast to many other mints, Harold's moneyers at Wilton do not continue to strike under William. Either, too close a connection to Harold resulted in death or dismissal or the moneyers fled with the dies as the last scenario would suggest.

Soberton Hoard.

Many of the coins known today, and quite possibly this example, are from the Soberton Hoard, discovered in 1851. It consisted of around 259 coins and terminated with Williams first type, giving a date of deposition after 1068. There were 159 coins of Harold II in the hoard, mostly from the Wilton and London mints. Some of the coins were acquired by the British Museum the majority being acquired by collectors.

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