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January Signature Sale 3089 21-22 Jan 2021
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Great Britain
Kings of Mercia. Cynethryth (Wife of Offa, 757-796) Penny ND (c. 784-785) XF45 NGC, Canterbury mint, Eoba as moneyer, Light coinage, Portrait type, S-909, N-339 (VR), MEC VIII-Unl., cf. EMC-1016.0093 (very similar obverse die), SCBI LXVII-657, Blunt-119 var. 1.33gm. (trefoil) E•ʘ (trefoil) B•A•, draped bust of Queen Cynethryth right; trefoils behind bust / + CYNE∂RY•ð (trefoil) REGIN (mark of contraction above N); macron above Mercian M, without pellets around. Extremely rare and likely one of the most handsome examples of this fascinating historical coinage, existing both as the sole issue to depict an Anglo-Saxon Queen, as well as the first English coinage to portray a woman. Charmingly toned with just the most minor of deposits from its excavation, the strike appears perfectly centered on a slightly oversized flan. Minted in good metal for the issue, this specimen is presently the sole certified example, and one that will undoubtedly elicit a tremendous degree of enthusiasm and spirited bidding.
It is possible that this female issue was inspired from the contemporaneous Byzantine issues of Empress Irene, though it may be more likely that they were designed merely as an homage to the earlier Roman Imperial coinage which honored the Augustae (wives and daughters of the emperors elevated to royalty). There has been some suggestion that these coins were minted as donatives by Cynethryth to the Church, though their similarity to Offa's general coinage would appear to suggest otherwise. While the die style seen here is highly representative of the finest portraits cut by Eoba at the Canterbury mint, the reverse is quite peculiar for omitting the usual pellets that surround the Merican M--a nearly ubiquitous feature on the coinage of Offa.
Ex. Baldwin's Auction 14 (October 1997, Lot 597); Glendining (October 1991, Lot 1121) [cover lot]; Found near Oxford, March 1991
https://coins.ha.com/itm/great-britain/great-britain-kings-of-mercia-cynethryth-wife-of-offa-757-796-penny-nd-c-784-785-xf45-ngc-/a/3089-31148.s?type=CoinArchives3089
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 10000-20000 USD
Kings of Mercia. Cynethryth (Wife of Offa, 757-796) Penny ND (c. 784-785) XF45 NGC, Canterbury mint, Eoba as moneyer, Light coinage, Portrait type, S-909, N-339 (VR), MEC VIII-Unl., cf. EMC-1016.0093 (very similar obverse die), SCBI LXVII-657, Blunt-119 var. 1.33gm. (trefoil) E•ʘ (trefoil) B•A•, draped bust of Queen Cynethryth right; trefoils behind bust / + CYNE∂RY•ð (trefoil) REGIN (mark of contraction above N); macron above Mercian M, without pellets around. Extremely rare and likely one of the most handsome examples of this fascinating historical coinage, existing both as the sole issue to depict an Anglo-Saxon Queen, as well as the first English coinage to portray a woman. Charmingly toned with just the most minor of deposits from its excavation, the strike appears perfectly centered on a slightly oversized flan. Minted in good metal for the issue, this specimen is presently the sole certified example, and one that will undoubtedly elicit a tremendous degree of enthusiasm and spirited bidding.
It is possible that this female issue was inspired from the contemporaneous Byzantine issues of Empress Irene, though it may be more likely that they were designed merely as an homage to the earlier Roman Imperial coinage which honored the Augustae (wives and daughters of the emperors elevated to royalty). There has been some suggestion that these coins were minted as donatives by Cynethryth to the Church, though their similarity to Offa's general coinage would appear to suggest otherwise. While the die style seen here is highly representative of the finest portraits cut by Eoba at the Canterbury mint, the reverse is quite peculiar for omitting the usual pellets that surround the Merican M--a nearly ubiquitous feature on the coinage of Offa.
Ex. Baldwin's Auction 14 (October 1997, Lot 597); Glendining (October 1991, Lot 1121) [cover lot]; Found near Oxford, March 1991
https://coins.ha.com/itm/great-britain/great-britain-kings-of-mercia-cynethryth-wife-of-offa-757-796-penny-nd-c-784-785-xf45-ngc-/a/3089-31148.s?type=CoinArchives3089
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 10000-20000 USD