History Coins
Viking
The Viking Invasion of Britain
Viking York
When the Vikings came to York they changed the Anglo-Saxon name Eoforwic to 'Jorvik' and during their hundred year stay, they turned it into a thriving trading post. Ivar the Boneless took York in 866. In 954 the last Viking king, Eric Bloodaxe, was expelled from York and it was re-absorbed into Anglo-Saxon England. The coinage varied widely with influences from the Christian church as well as the English kings and Scandinavian imagery.
STAR PIECE - Anlaf Guthfrithsson Raven Type Penny Fragment, 939-954
An extremely rare opportunity to add to your Viking collection. Although sadly only the middle section of this evocative coin, it is history itself! Please see the images below for a rough approximation of orientation.
Obverse: A raven with wings displayed and the encircled legend: [+ANLAF CVNVNC]
Reverse: A small central cross with legend around naming moneyer
Grade: Central section only, broken into two, repaired
13mm at widest, 0.47g (whole coin would be about 1.15g)
Ref: S1019
Will be supplied in film display box for protection.
£2,500 (P&P FREE to all locations)
Viking York, St. Peter Coinage, York, Swordless Penny, Large Fragment,
AD 905-910 RARE
Obverse: SCI [PE] (or similar) TRI II in two lines pellets below to middle and probably above, crosses to left and right. Translates to SANCTI PETRI MONETA - the money of St. Peter.
Reverse: Small central cross, +EBORACE (York)
0.79g, 18mm
Ref:S1006, N551
Grade: A large fragment, bent and cracked but still a rare piece!
Prov: Ex Time Line, previously Birmingham Coin fair and the property of an Essex Gentleman
£550 (P&P FREE to UK, other locations please ask)
Harold Bluetooth (Harald Blatand) Silver Half-bracteate,c958-985 RARE
Geometric design based around a cross with trefoil terminals overlying an abstraction of a facing figure in a boat.
The thiness of the silver allowed ghosting of the obverse design. Bluetooth's conversion to Christianity is clearly shown in his coinage with the cross very evident. Hedeby or Jelling are possible mints.
Grade: EF, good round flan, strong strike, no splits or scuffs, extremely rare
16mm, 0.3g
Ref: Cf C Moesgaard, King Harold's Cross Coinage p266 fig. A4.9
History note: And yes, renowned for his good communication skills, the Bluetooth name was used by the mobile phone company Ericsson!
PRICE on application (Delivery FREE to all locations)
Hiberno-Scandinavian, Sihtric Anlafsson (Silkbeard), Phase III Silver Penny 1035-1060
Obverse: Bare head right, no hand infront of face, two pellets before, blundered legends
Reverse: Long voided cross with hands in two quarters, blundered legends around
Grade: VF+ slightly crimped, excellent portrait, toned
Ref: S6132, SCIBI BM104
17.5mm, 1.12g
Prov: Ex DNW 2017
£2,000 (P&P FREE to all locations)
Danish issue, Hardeknud (Harthacnut), Silver Penny, Triquetra (Triskele) Type, Roskilde Mint, Denmark, 1035-42, RARE
Obverse: Intervoven triquetra shape with pellet ornamentation, legend clear but somewhat blundered reading (Anglicised) IγnOrγcIIIOAD
For further discussion about this coin visit the Blog page.
Reverse: Small central cross, legend γr’CCOShγIICCO
Ref: Hauberg 33, S1170
0.88g, 19mm
Grade: AVF with a few small cracks, peck marks, RARE
Prov: Ex Noonan's
£1,100 (P&P FREE to all locations)
Danelaw, Viking East Anglia, St. Edmund Memorial Coinage, Silver Penny, Adradus Moneyer, c885-915, RARE
Obverse: Capital A in inner circle, + S (reversed) C +SC EADMVND PII (for RE) - S[an]C[te] Eadmunde King
Reverse: Small cross patee in inner circle, +ADRADVS MONE
17mm, 1.04g
Grade: EF for type, good round and well centred flan, a few die flaws, cabinet toning
Ref: North 483, S960
Prov: Bishop & Miller sale
£1,200 SOLD
Svend Estridsen, 1047-75, Silver Penny, Lund Mint, Svartbrand Moneyer
Obverse: Christ, nimbate, standing facing, raising hand in benediction and holding Gospels; straight lines in nimbate; annulated pellet in right field, +MAGNAS REX
Note: This coin has obvious Byzantine influences. A vast amount of treasure was known to have come from this region and the early development of their coinage reflects this along with that of the British coinage.
Reverse: +SPARTBARND :N LVII, cross formed of diamonds, trefoils at limb ends, pellet in the centre
Grade: VF+/VF, two flan cracks and pack marks but dark patina, lovely coin for the type
17mm, 0.94g
Ref: Hauberg 28 var
Prov: Ex Alfa Numismatics, Denmark
£370 SOLD
Danelaw, Viking York, St. Peter Coinage, Two Line Penny, AD 905-910 RARE
Obverse: SCI PE TRI MO in two lines, crosses above and below, single pellet to left and right. Translates to SANCTI PETRI MONETA - the money of St. Peter.
Reverse: Small central cross, +EBORACE (York) CIV
1.25g, 17mm
Ref:S1006, N551
Grade: NVF, surface crack on obv', loss to edge
Prov: Ex DNW
SOLD
Raids on British soil began in the late 8th century, the first monastery to be invaded was in 793 on Lindisfarne. The men from the North were primarily interested in gold and other precious objects; there was no point attacking ordinary folk, they had little to offer, for the moment. This changed later, as slaves and land became their intent. Skirmishes continued until 1013, then Sweyn Forkbeard returned to invade England in earnest, with a large army. Aethelred, the king at the time, fearing for his life, he fled to France and Forkbeard took the throne of England. The last raid took place in 1066.
Viking, was never a term the Norsemen called themselves, it was Old Norse meaning 'adventure and trade.' It was first used in the English vocabulary in the 18th century and just meant 'a Scandinavian'.
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