Alfred the Great Penny, Portrait type, Londonia monogram, Ex Wells collection

Alfred the Great (871-899), silver Penny, portrait type, third coinage (c.880-899), London Mint, diademed portrait facing right, wearing tunic made up of curved horizontal lines with pellets, legend and outer beaded circle at rim surrounding, legend commences at lower left with nine pellets dividing King's name, ELFR::::. ED REX, rev. the Londonia Monogram, cross pattée above, triangle of six pellets below, cross of five pellets to left, outer beaded circle surrounding, weight 1.61g (Mackay London A8(v), 30 - O17/R27, pl.3 - 34 this coin; reverse B.M.C. type VI; N.644; S.1061). Toned, some traces of old soil deposit on reverse, well centred, some light surface marks on cheek, a bold very fine, a very pleasing example of the 9 pellet portrait type with a good provenance.

The portrait silver Penny with the monogram of Londonia on the reverse has always been the most desirable type coin of Alfred for any collector to attain in their collection. The example demonstrated here has an exceptionally well detailed portrait and reverse. For further reference see "The London Monogram Coinage of Alfred the Great and the Danelaw" by William A. Mackay, British Numismatic Journal, volume 89, 2019, pages 19-107.

The obverse Latin legend translates as "Alfred King" on this superb portrait Penny which is coupled with the Londonia Monogram, the most desirable type of all the Alfred the Great Pennies.

Alfred the Great was the key monarchal figure in the survival of the Kingdom of Wessex at the time of the Viking invasions and for that reason is seen by some as the first King of Anglo Saxon England. Born circa 848 he was perhaps 23 by the time he ascended the throne of Wessex in April 871, after Viking invasions were responsible for the death of Aethelred I. Various skirmishes and battles with the Vikings followed across Wessex in succeeding years where the legend of Alfred burning the poor cottager's cakes and accepting her subsequent scolding stems from, whilst he was travelling incognito. Victories followed and by 878 after a division of the country with Guthrum the Dane, Alfred was set up the fortified town "burgh" system across Wessex. By 886 he had finally taken and fortified the Capital City of London, from whence forth a coin as we have offered here would have been struck. Alfred also commissioned the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and is portrayed as one of the most significant rulers of the time. He died on the 26^th October 899 aged circa 52.

Provenance:

Ex W. C. Wells Collection, purchased by A. H. Baldwin 1949.

Ex Spink Numismatic Circular, October 1993, item 7120 for £2,500

Ex Spink Numismatic Circular, December 1993, item 8414

Ex Spink Numismatic Circular, October 1995, item 5516.

Ex Spink Numismatic Circular, July 1996 item 3350.

Ex Spink Coin Auction, 28^th September 2005, lot 1321.