Code: 12580
This is a Saxon silver penny of King Æthelred II, minted at London by Leofwine. This coin is of the Last Small Cross type (c. 1009 - 1017 AD).
Obverse: Diademed and draped bust left +ÆÐELRED REX ANGLOR (Aethelred king of the English)
Reverse: Small cross pattée +LEOFPINE ON LVNDE (Leofwine of London)
This coin started life as a penny, but it was necessitated in trade to chop the coins into smaller fractional denominations as halfpennies and farthings. These coins were legal tender and a halfpenny was simply a penny cut in half, whilst farthings (four things) were divided into four parts.
DENOMINATION: Halfpenny
CULTURE: Saxon England
DATE: 978 - 1016 AD (this coin was issued between 1009 - 1017 AD)
MATERIAL: Silver
SIZE: 19.8mm x 9.6mm
WEIGHT: 0.60 grams
ATTRIBUTION: Spink 1154, North 777
PROVENANCE: formerly in a private collection in Tallinn, Estonia
