Description
Harold I ‘Harefoot’ of the House of Knýtlinga, Regent then later King of the English 1035-1040 AD, Silver Penny (1.13g, 18mm), Fleur-de-Lis type 1038-1040 AD, Chester mint, Moneyer Sweartinc. Obverse: Diademed and cuirassed bust of King Harold I facing to the left, armed with round shield and sceptre terminating with fleur-de-lis, legend beginning with initial mark cross pattée surrounds, “HAR·O: ·[LD RE]C·.·”. Reverse: Long voided cross with each limb united at their bases by a central circle enclosing a single pellet, fleur-de-lis flanked by two pellets in each angle, legend beginning with initial mark cross pattée surrounds, “SPERT[IN]C ON LE” (‘S’ retrograde). North-803; Spink-1163. Some typical flatness of strike, the legends clear and all attributable however, a very charming piece of Chester (Leigeces) mint, near Extremely Fine.
The obverse legend reads “Harold rēx”, with an English translation of “King Harold”. Interestingly, the king’s name is spelt in a later English spelling of “Harold” rather then the old English “Hereweald”, derived from ‘here’ (“army”) + ‘weald’ (“ruler”), despite middle English being developed after the Battle of Hastings in 1066 AD. The reverse legend reads “Sweartinc on Leigeces”, with an English meaning of “Sweartinc, Moneyer of Chester”.
