Alfa Numismatics ApS
Auction 10 27 Feb 2022
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Denmark. Svend Estridsen(?) 1047-1075. AR half penning (15mm, 0.24g). OINOD[___], bust left holding lis-tipped scepter / OIIIIOVI[__], small cross pattée. Hauberg -. Hauberg Auction -; L.E. Bruun Collection-. Peck marks. Rare. Very Fine.
Possibly an unpublished type, with ties to both Viborg and Hedeby mints. The reverse motive is easily recognized as a small cross pattée, with a blundered inscription. Unfortunately, the obverse motive is missing a lot of information, and therefore not as easily discerned. However, the style and lettering clearly points to Viborg, and particularly the Svend Estridsen types Hauberg 57, 58 and 65, as a likely match. Although Hauberg only published one drawing per type, there are in fact a huge number of variants among the Viborg types, with a great degree of variety in their individual designs. A careful investigation of the Viborg types identified several Hbg. 57 variants, perfectly matching the unknown motive and with similar blundered inscriptions. The identification of the obverse motive facilitated a closer examination of the reverse small cross motive. Among the more than 70 different coin types issued by Svend Estridsen, the small cross motive was only issued at the Hedeby mint. Two Hedeby types, Hbg. 70 and 71, share the same small cross reverse, which on closer examination perfectly matches the present coin, all the way down to the dotted O's in the blundered inscriptions.
Although the present coin is only about half of the original size, there can no longer be any doubt as to how the original intact coin would have looked. It represents a novel, unpublished type, which most likely was struck in either Viborg or Hedeby. With an estimated 55% of the original coin missing, the weight of the intact coin would have been approximately 0.53g. This supports the attribution to a west Danish mint, such as Viborg or Hedeby.
Possibly an unpublished type, with ties to both Viborg and Hedeby mints. The reverse motive is easily recognized as a small cross pattée, with a blundered inscription. Unfortunately, the obverse motive is missing a lot of information, and therefore not as easily discerned. However, the style and lettering clearly points to Viborg, and particularly the Svend Estridsen types Hauberg 57, 58 and 65, as a likely match. Although Hauberg only published one drawing per type, there are in fact a huge number of variants among the Viborg types, with a great degree of variety in their individual designs. A careful investigation of the Viborg types identified several Hbg. 57 variants, perfectly matching the unknown motive and with similar blundered inscriptions. The identification of the obverse motive facilitated a closer examination of the reverse small cross motive. Among the more than 70 different coin types issued by Svend Estridsen, the small cross motive was only issued at the Hedeby mint. Two Hedeby types, Hbg. 70 and 71, share the same small cross reverse, which on closer examination perfectly matches the present coin, all the way down to the dotted O's in the blundered inscriptions.
Although the present coin is only about half of the original size, there can no longer be any doubt as to how the original intact coin would have looked. It represents a novel, unpublished type, which most likely was struck in either Viborg or Hedeby. With an estimated 55% of the original coin missing, the weight of the intact coin would have been approximately 0.53g. This supports the attribution to a west Danish mint, such as Viborg or Hedeby.