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 Replies: 11 / Views: 1,749 |
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New Member
Latvia
49 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
4208 Posts |
Im in no way and expert, but that design doesn't look english.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2624 Posts |
The reverse does seem to match spinks type 1152 Aethelred II but its badly beaten up particularly hard to make out much from the obverse.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
1351 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2624 Posts |
Comparing the photo's to the spinks catalogue the reverse is remarkably similar to Aethelred II type 1152 circa 978-1016. The design has the same style of long cross, has the central design with beads exactly, but doesn't have those crosses between the central design and the legend.
The portrait also shares a lot of common features (same style of nose, shoulder etc) but I notice that your coin has a double line above the shoulder where the link has only a single line.
Looking through the photo's of coins in spinks I see that the beading appears for a considerable time but that style of long double lined cross does not. Looking at the link you provided with the single smaller cross it looks like you are on the right track to me, I don't know the significance of the crosses or whether coins were made with multiple small crosses like the one you found.
What a coin from that era would be doing in latvia 500 years later is mysterious to say the least unless of course a crusader carried it along as his lucky penny in the 11th 12th or 13th century and somehow it was found and put with these other coins.
I think you will have to wait for someone who is specialised in coins of this period to post, and I personally would disregard one line opinions which give no basis or explaination for why they think what they do.
Edited by DavidUK
09/09/2012 12:06 pm
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New Member
 Latvia
49 Posts |
Vikings had good trade and warfare connections with Baltic tribes - river Daugava is the one of oldest Eastern trading routes, so these coins are pretty common in single and hoard finds among the European denars. Coin looks to be used as pendant for generations (two holes), there are few knive pecks (presumably viking), so the only question that bothers me is the origin of the coin. If that's no way English, it could be imitation - scandinavian or even local one. I believe the reverse is the key - I outlined few more distinctive details: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/8223697/R0..._details.jpg |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2624 Posts |
I agree with you, I think it is an Aethelred II English coin... The Vikings did raid England a lot in those days but the English also crusaded as far as Russia and that would have taken them through Latvia, if it was a pendant it may well have been worn by such a person.
2 people have stated it isn't English but that bothers me since they have given no reason for that opinion. To say something doesn't look English when it shares so many features with a known English coin I think you need to back the opinion with some idea what leads you to that conclusion.
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New Member
Latvia
49 Posts |
Dear David, Maine penny is a good story about such little big adventures of a singe coin - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maine_pennyOf course it could be maked up, but such possibility is at least worth to consider. |
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New Member
Latvia
49 Posts |
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New Member
Latvia
49 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2624 Posts |
Interesting stuff there...
You've wet my appetite for these early English coins, not cheap in excellent condition I see but maybe I will keep my eyes open for something that is acceptable looking and suits my budget a little better.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
592 Posts |
Looking closely on the front, I think the only part of the name that really isn't clear is the Æ - the rest clearly says "ðelrede" and we can see the beginning part of REX ANGL. (the last of that is obliterated by the holes) and if we compare this mancusan Æðelredes here:  Or even better this coin, another helmeted Æðelred:  I'm not seeing any evidence of the cross in the ð on the coin you're showing, while it's clear that it shouldn't be worn out by the way it shows in the one down here. The nose is right, but there appear to be instances of particular design in the helmet (see the spiky bits on yours which don't protrude beyond the top of the helmet in the other, the number of horizontal lines on the part that covers the neck, and the overall size and shape of the head and face just feels off) which feel odd in part because I'm not sure how they could either be accounted for by error or by wear. I rather honestly do hope it's a real Æðelred as that would be quite lovely and the level of wear makes me hesitant to make any sort of definite say so one way or the other. I don't think I'm quite convinced it is real, though, at least in the sense of being a genuine piece struck under Æðelred. Perhaps an imitation, as suggested above, or perhaps a variety (I know little of any varieties within a type on Anglo-Saxon coinage, so I don't know if that's even a reasonable suggestion). I will say that it is rather neat, whatever it turns out to be. Personally, if I could get a nice example of Ælfred the Great for my collection I'd be over the moon. Hope your search for info goes well. Edited by SaintRidley
10/04/2012 01:24 am
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Replies: 11 / Views: 1,749 |
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Posted 09/09/2012 09:58 am
