Description
Æthelred II ‘the Unready’ of the House of Wessex, Anglo-Saxon King of the English 978-1013/1014-1016 AD, Silver Penny (1.70g, 19mm), Long Cross Type, York mint, Moneyer Swart. Obverse: Bare-headed and draped bust of King Æthelred II facing to the left, annulet fastened to drapery, legend surrounds with initial mark cross, “ÆÐELRED REX ΛNGLꙨ”. Reverse: Long voided cross ending in crescents, legend surrounds with initial mark cross, “SPERT M·Ꙩ EꙨFR”. Spink-1151. Two minor peck marks in one quarter, otherwise a bold, problem free piece and with great pedigree, toned with hints of nice underlying colour, good Very Fine.
Ex. Glendinings 6th November 1991 Lot 104
Ex. Spink 1992
Ex. Alan Williams Collection via Spink sale 29th January 2019 Lot 592
The Obverse legend reads “Æðelred, Rex Anglōrum”, with an English translation of “Æthelred, King of the Englishmen” – Æthelred II is named in Old English, with the remainder of the legend in Latin. The Reverse Latin legend reads “Spert, monēta Eoforwīċ”, with an English translation of “Spert, mint of York” – the legend begins with the moneyers name, the word ‘mint’ in Latin, and the city name ‘York’ in Old English, ‘Eoforwīċ’, derived from the Latin word ‘Eborācum’.