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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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H4029 The Kingdom of Northumbria, Eadberht
(737-758),
Silver Sceat (Penny), 1.05g., York mint, a fantastic
quadruped with a mane right, loop in tail enclosing annulet, triquetra
below, rev., EOTBEREHTVS
around a tribrach with a pellet in each angle, (N.177;
S.847C var), rough surfaces, fine or better, very rare. $295 |
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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 |
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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
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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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 |
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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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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 |
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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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H1121 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. $60 |
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