Edward the Elder, Kings of Wessex, Penny, two-line type, moneyer Ealhstan

Edward the Elder (899-924), silver Penny, two-line type, Moneyer Ealhstan, small cross pattée, Latin legend and linear circles surrounding, +EADVVEARD REX, rev. three cross pattées across centre, triangle of pellets at top and bottom, Moneyer name in two lines, EAHLS / TAN MO, weight 1.57g (BMC II, 39; CTCE 177; SCBI 26:138 East Anglia; SCBI 30:322 American; N.649; S.1087). Attractive steel grey tone, a bold very fine.

The Coinage of Tenth Century England by Blunt, Stewart and Lyon gives this coin as Horizontal type I the late Wessex style perhaps Winchester and is one of three entries for Eahlstan as number 177.

Edward the Elder born circa 871 was the elder of the sons of Alfred the Great and was already in charge of part of the army by the age of 21, and probably acted as his Father's deputy in continued skirmishes as late as 896 and was the natural choice to succeed him in 899 as full Ruler of Wessex and Mercia. From 917 a further annexation program commenced as Edward started to take over the "Five Boroughs" of the Danelaw and East Anglia. He then remained unchallenged of an enlarged England until his death on 17th July 924 aged around 53, leaving a large family of at least ten daughters and five sons by three wives.

The obverse legend translates as "Edward King" and the reverse "Eahlstan moneyer".

Provenance:

Ex Colonial Rare Coins, Australia, 23^rd November 1994, lot 129.

Ex Alan Williams Collection, part I, Spink Coin Auction 252, 27^th March 2018, lot 59.

Ex Collection of an English Doctor, part one, Sovereign Rarities, London, March 2022.