Kings of Wessex, Edward the Elder, Penny, portrait type, moneyer Igere

Edward the Elder (899-924), silver Penny, portrait type, Moneyer Igere, crude draped diademed bust left, Latin legend with inner linear and outer beaded circles surrounding, legend commences upper left in retrograde +EADVVEARD REX, rev. three cross pattées across centre, three pellet triangle at top and bottom of centre, Moneyer name in two lines, ICEREII / NONETA, the second letter inverted, weight 1.65g (CTCE 29; SCBI 20:752 Mack this coin; BMC type VII, 6; N.651; S.1084). Toned and well centred, the hair a little weak in strike, otherwise good very fine with an excellent provenance, and rare.

The Coinage of Tenth Century England by Blunt, Stewart and Lyon gives this coin as draped bust type II the late London style as number 29.

For further reference see article "The Vatican Hoard of Anglo-Saxon Pennies" by M. A. O'Donavan, British Numismatic Journal 1964, pages 7-29, this coin listed in running order as 441, catalogue number B47. It is interesting to note this hoard contained only three Edward the Elder pennies of the moneyer Igere, and this coin was the only one with this reading. The hoard was found some time in 1928 purportedly on the Vatican Wireless site then under construction, and consisted of 517 Anglo-Saxon pennies in total, of which 437 were of King Edward the Elder and the majority went for auction in two parts through Glendining in London through 1929 and 1930.

The obverse Latin legend translates as "Edward King" and the reverse as "Igere Moneyer."

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 "Igere moneyer".

Provenance:

Ex Vatican Hoard found c.1928 sold as "Some Rare Anglo-Saxon Pennies", second portion, Glendining, 13th November 1930, lot 47 sold for £8.

Ex Richard Cyril Lockett, English part IV, Glendining, 26th April 1960, lot 3654 sold for £42.

Ex M. R. Roberts, Sydney, Australia.

Ex Alan Williams Collection, part I, Spink Coin Auction 252, 27th March 2018, lot 61.

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