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the
kingdom of Northumbria |
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Archiepiscopal and Regal Issues |
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Northumbria had been from the early
seventh century a major political and cultural force within the
Anglo-Saxon heptarchy. Its kings had been Bretwaldas' or paramount kings
amongst their English and British neighbors and its scholars and religious
leaders were amongst the most respected in all of Christendom. However, by
the ninth century Northumbria was in terminal decline and after periods of
civil war quickly fell
victim to the Danish Viking invaders that overran the the kingdom in A.D.
867. A curious feature of the late Northumbrian kingdom was its coinage of
copper stycas or debased Sceats. Northumbria's archaic base metal coinage
was unique in northern Europe where broad flan silver pennies had been in use in the southern
England and in the Carolingian Empire since the late eighth century. |
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H4148 –The Kingdom of Northumbria, Aldfrith
(685-704),
Silver Sceat (Penny), 1.17g., York mint, +ALDFRIDVS
around a pellet in beaded circle, rev.,
a fantastic
quadruped triple tailed beast (lion) left, (N.176;
S.846), almost extremely fine, extremely rare, red oxide toning,
confirmed by X-ray fluorescence, which suggests it was deposited near iron
objects or possibly in an iron vessel. $2595
SOLD
The first Anglo-Saxon
silver coin with a regal title, predating the pennies of Offa by a
century, in itself reflecting the political and cultural power held by
Northumbria at the time. |
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H4092 –The Kingdom of Northumbria, Eadberht
(737-758),
Silver Sceat (Penny), 0.93g., York mint, a fantastic
quadruped animal right, rev., EADBERHTVS
around a small cross, (N.177;
S.847A), good very fine / extremely fine, very rare. $995 SOLD |
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H4081 –The Kingdom of Northumbria, Eadberht
(737-758),
Silver Sceat (Penny), 1.11g., York mint, a fantastic
quadruped animal left, rev., EOTBERHTVS
around a small cross, (N.178;
S.847B), good very fine or better, very rare. $995
REDUCED $795 |
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DD17 -
The Kingdom of
Northumbria, King Eadberht and Archbishop Ecgberht
(737-758), Silver Sceat,
0.49g., ,+EOTBERHTVI,
around a cross, rev., +ECGBERT in front
of a mitred figure holding two crosses, (N.192; S.852), almost very fine, rare.
$395
Eadberht and Ecgberht
were brothers and with their joint coinage symbolizes the central role the
church played in the governance of the Northumbrian state. |
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DD30 - The Kingdom of Northumbria, Aethelred I
(2nd reign 789-796), Silver Sceat, 0.91g., moneyer TIDVVLF, +EDLRED
REX REX, around a cross, rev., +TIDVVLF, around a cross in
circle, (N.185/1; S.8560), some surface deposit, very fine. $395
SOLD |
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H3008 - ENGLAND, VIKING, DANELAW,
coin weight, 18.45g., 18 mm, late 9th century, lead drum
shape with an Anglo-Saxon, Northumbrian styca at each end, first
coin:
obverse of
Eanred
(810-840), +EANRED REX around a pellet in annulet, (retrograde),
second coin: reverse of the moneyer, Monne, +MONNE
around a pellet, intact with no damage, good metal, possibly
unpublished with two coins, extremely rare and interesting.
$1995
NOW $750
Williams* in his study of Anglo-Saxon
and Viking coin weights, attributes weights containing Northumbrian
stycas to the Vikings of the newly conquered Danelaw. This example would
appear to correlate to the Viking weight standards of two ertugar
or two-thirds of a eyrir. The Vikings appear to have rejected the
base metal Northumbrian styca in favor of the broad flan silver penny.
This did not however stop them from using the readily available
demonetized styca as a decorative item on their weights.
*Williams, Gareth, Anglo-Saxon and
Viking Coin Weights, BNJ (69), 1999, pp 19-36. |
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| H4137 – The Kingdom of Northumbria, Archbishop of York, Wigmund
(c.837 - c.850), Issues, Copper Styca, 0.81g., +VIGMVND IR,
around a small cross, rev., HVNLAF around cross,
(N.196; S.870), about fine. $45
SOLD |
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H4115 – The
Kingdom of Northumbria, Eanred
(810-840), Copper Styca, 0.69g., m, +EANRED REX around
a cross with pellets, rev., +EANRED REX around a pellet in circle, (N.186; S.865),
blundered double regal legends, very fine. $65 |
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H4136 – The
Kingdom of Northumbria, Æthelred II, 1st Reign
(843/4-849/50), Copper Styca, 0.84g., moneyer Eardwulf, EĐILRED REX,
around a small cross in a circle, rev., +EARDVVLF, around a pellet
in a circle, (N.187; S.865), almost very fine./ very fine. $95
SOLD |
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H4108 – The
Kingdom of Northumbria, Æthelred II, 1st Reign
(843/4-849/50), Copper Styca, 0.78g., moneyer Eardwulf, EĐILRED REX,
around a pellet in a circle, rev., +EARDVVLF (retrograde), around a pellet
in a circle, (N.187; S.865), chipped, almost very fine. $45
SOLD |
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H4109 – The
Kingdom of Northumbria, Æthelred II, 1st Reign
(843/4-849/50), Copper Styca, 0.88g., moneyer Eardwulf, EĐILRED REX,
around a small cross in a circle, rev., +EARDVVLF, around a pellet
in a circle, (N.187; S.865), almost very fine. $65
SOLD |
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H4110 – The
Kingdom of Northumbria, Æthelred II, 1st Reign
(843/4-849/50), Copper Styca, 1.03g., moneyer Brother, EĐILRED REX,
around a small cross in a circle, rev., +BROĐER, around a pellet
in a circle, (N.187; S.865), almost very fine. $55
SOLD |
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H4033 – The
Kingdom of Northumbria, Eanred
(810-840), Copper Styca, 1.06g., moneyer Wulfheard, +EANRED REX , around
a cross, rev., +VVLFEHRRD around a cross, (N.186; S.865), very fine. $125
SOLD |
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H1370 – The Kingdom of Northumbria, Archbishop of York, Wigmund
(c.837 - c.850), Issues, Copper Styca, 0.83g., +VI[GMV]ND ARP,
around a small cross, rev., moneyers name around cross,
(N.196; S.870), fair / poor. $45 z |
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H1119 – The
Kingdom of Northumbria, Eanred
(810-840), Copper Styca, 0.74g., moneyer Monne, +EANRED REX , around
a cross, rev., +MONNE, around a cross, (N.186; S.860), fine/
very fine. $50 |
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The Kingdom of Northumbria, Civil War (c.843/44-c.855) Irregular or Derivative Issues |
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derivative issues appear to have been produced (perhaps at a mint or mints
under quasi-official authority) during the endemic periods of civil war that
came to characterize the last twenty five years of the Kingdom of
Northumbria. See Pirie, E. J. E., 1996, "Coins of the Kingdom of Northumbria
c.700-867." |
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H4138 – The
Kingdom of Northumbria, Civil War
(c.843/44-c.855) Irregular or Derivative Issues, Copper Styca,
0.90g., partly or wholly blundered legends (cf North Volume 1, p.72;
S.872), very fine. $75
SOLD |
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H4119 – The
Kingdom of Northumbria, Civil War
(c.843/44-c.855) Irregular or Derivative Issues, Copper Styca,
0.78g., partly or wholly blundered legends (cf North Volume 1, p.72;
S.872), very fine. $65
SOLD |
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DD29 – The Kingdom of Northumbria, Civil War
(c.843/44-c.855) Irregular or Derivative Issues, Copper Styca,
1.12g., partly or wholly blundered legends (cf North Volume 1, p.72;
S.872), very fine. $195
SOLD |
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H1377 – The Kingdom of Northumbria, Civil War
(c.843/44-c.855) Irregular or Derivative Issues, Copper Styca,
0.51g., partly or wholly blundered legends (cf North Volume 1, p.72;
S.872), very fine. $40 z |
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H4100 – The
Kingdom of Northumbria, Civil War
(c.843/44-c.855) Irregular or Derivative Issues, Copper Styca,
0.65g., partly or wholly blundered legends (cf North Volume 1, p.72;
S.872), very fine. $60
SOLD |
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