Description
Cnut ‘the Great’ of the House of Knýtlinga, Anglo-Norse King of the English 1016-1035 AD, Silver Penny (1.13g, 19mm), short cross type, London mint, Moneyer Eadræd. Obverse: Diademed and draped bust of King Cnut facing to the left, annulet fastened to drapery, holding sceptre aloft which terminates in Lis, legend which begins with initial mark cross pattée surrounds, “CNVT RECX”. Reverse: Short voided cross with large pellet central, inner lined border and legend which begins with initial mark cross pattée surrounds, “EDRED ON LVNDE ·.·”. Spink-1159; North-790. Exceptionally well struck on a broad flan, a most impressive rendition of the type, Extremely Fine, virtually as struck.
The Obverse legend reads “Canute Rex”, with an English translation of “King Canute / Cnut” – ‘Cnut’ is derived from the Old Norse “Knútr”, with his titulature in Latin. The Reverse legend reads “Eadræd on Lunden”, with an English translation of “Eadræd, [moneyer] in London” – the legend begins with the moneyers name followed by the Old English word for the mint name, ‘Lunden’, derive from the Latin ‘Londinium’, likely derived from Proto-Celtic ‘Londinyom’ (“place that floods”).