Silver Penny of King Aethelred II by Moneyer PVLISTAN of London

Code: 10097

This is a Saxon silver penny of King Æthelred II, minted at London by the moneyer PVLISTAN. It is a nice bold and well-struck example, though has flan crack and a few peck marks from circulation in Viking held territory. Vast quantities of these silver pennies were minted to pay the Danegeld after the Battle of Maldon in 991 A.D. The first tribute was almost 10,000 Roman pounds (3,300 kg) of silver paid to the forces of Olav Tryggvason. The silver taken in raiding was used alongside Arabic Dirhams, mostly melted down into bars and hack-silver. This is a nice example of some the earliest coins to circulate as currency amongst the Vikings.

DENOMINATION: Penny

CULTURE: Saxon England

DATE: 978 - 1013 A.D.

MATERIAL: Silver

SIZE: 21.32mm dia

WEIGHT: 1.52 grams

ATTRIBUTION: SPINK 1148

PROVENANCE: Ex. Private Collection, Ex. Baldwins St. James