- The Virgil Brand Parcel of
Hiberno-Norse Pennies
- The 'Brand Parcel' was the name given to a group of
fifty-two Hiberno-Norse pennies that were part of the famous collection
formed by the Chicago brewer, Virgil Brand and that were purchased by A.
H. Baldwin in the 1970's. The multi-millionaire Brand was a very active
collector from 1890 until his death in 1926, who was known to buy large
parcels of coins in order to acquire a single specimen, with Spink and
Son often acting as his agent in London. This parcel of one Phase I, one
Phase II, forty-eight Phase III and two Phase VI coins is discussed by
Blackburn and Seaby1 , who conclude that the Phase III
portion came from a single medieval hoard, with the Dunbrody Hoard being
the most likely source. References in the descriptions are to the BNJ
article which list the individual Brand coins in detail.
-
- The Dunbrody Hoard
- The Dunbrody Hoard2, Co. Wexford, 1836
consisted of about 1400 coins predominately Hiberno-Norse Phase III
pennies with a few late examples of Phase II. In addition there were
about 200 late Anglo-Saxon pennies from Cnut to Edward the Confessor,
the majority being of the latter and terminating with the Small Flan
issue. The hoard would therefore appear to have a terminus post quem of
c.1050. based on the Anglo-Saxon element. Such absolute dating evidence
is rare amongst Hiberno-Norse finds, giving added importance to the
hoard as a benchmark in the dating of the series.
- 1 M. Blackburn and W. A.
Seaby, "The 'Francis' and 'Brand' Parcels of Hiberno-Norse Coins", BNJ
1976, pp 29-39.
- 2
Thompson Inventory #141. R. H. M. Dolley, "SCBI -
Hiberno-Norse Coins in the British Museum", 1966. pp 67-68.
