The Coenwulf of Mercia
pair consists of two extremely rare Coenwulf
of Mercia Pennies, which are described as
follows:
Coenwulf
Gold Penny (Mancus)
Obverse:
Bust of King Coenwulf facing right, with a
diadem in his hair, finely drawn with four
horizontal lines on the shoulders, the drapery
devolved from a Roman prototype, dividing
obverse legend. Text around, starting at 12
o’clock +COENVVLF REX M (‘Coenwulf
King of the Mercian’s).
Reverse:
Rosette developed from a cross over a cross
moline, no inner circles, initial cross of
four wedges with centre pellet. Text around
+DE VICO LVNDONIAE (‘From the wic of
London’).
History:
This highly significant coin, the first new
Anglo-Saxon gold penny to come to light for
one hundred years, is a remarkable addition
to the very select group of seven gold coins
(the others now in museum collections).
This Coenwulf Gold Penny is:
• Unique as the only gold coin in the
name of Coenwulf of Mercia (796-821).
• Unique as the only purpose made Anglo-Saxon
gold penny of clearly regal design.
• Unique as the only gold coin with
a London mint signature to be struck between
the gold shillings of c. AD 630 and Henry
III's gold penny of 20 pence of 1257.
• Unique as the only English coin of
any type to refer to the important extra-mural
commercial settlement of Lundenwic.
The
Coenwulf gold penny / mancus is the most stunning
and attractive of all Anglo-Saxon coins and
is an icon of Anglo-Saxon coinage.
Date:
Issued in London c.805-10
Diameter:
c.20 mm
Coenwulf
Silver Penny
Obverse:
Ornamental M with pellets to either side,
CENVVLF across the centre field and REX in
lower field with pellets between each letter.
Reverse:
DI O LA with pellets between letters, within
arms of tribrach moline of three lines, the
centre one beaded.
History:
Only 10 coins of this type have been recorded,
and this is the fourth by the moneyer Diola.
The obverse inscription reads CENVVLF REX
M, Coenwulf King of Mercia. The coinage of
Coenwulf follows the broad silver penny format
established under Offa and his contemporaries.
Since the mints at Canterbury and in East
Anglia were under the control of Eadbert Praen
and Eadwald respectively, these earliest pennies
were produced by the London mint. Initially
coins were struck at London alone but soon
spreading to Canterbury after it was reconquered
from the rebels.
Date:
Moneyer Diola, London mint, 796-805 AD.
Diameter:
2.0 cm
