Canute Penny, Pointed Helmet type, Torksey, Lincolnshire, Thorcetel

Canute (1016-35),silver helmet type Penny (1024-30), Torksey Mint, Moneyer Thorcetel, helmeted bust left with sceptre, legend surrounding, CNVT REX AN,rev.pellet in double annulet at centre of voided short cross, broken annulet enclosing pellet in each angle, linear circles and legend surrounding, +ÐORCETL ON TOR, weight 1.00g (SCBI 15: Copenhagen IIIc, 3879; N.787; S.1158).Toned, on a slightly undulating flan, weak in parts, peck mark on neck with two smaller ones on reverse, of good style, about very fine and extremely rare, the first time we have handled this mint for sale.

The Latin legends translate as "Canute King" on obverse and on the reverse "Thorcetel of Toksey." This moneyer name is also know for some imitative strikings of the quatrefoil types for Canute with a Torksey mint signature. The Helmet type coin is however of a good English style and has peck marks indicating it was minted in England at Torksey then found its way to Scandinavia to circulate with pecks added.

We can only find two others listed online for sale in the past 25 years at Coin Archives.

Despite Canute being essentially a Viking King from overseas, the coinages of England continued in a similar vein to those of Aethelred II, in that the types changed every six years, meaning there are three main types for this reign, of which the quatrefoil type was the first. According to North there were up to 74 mints in operation with perhaps four other enigmatic places that remain uncertain. North records only two different moneyers working at Bruton in his reign through three types.

Canute could have been as young as 21 when he ascended the English throne after the 28^thNovember 1016 upon the death of Edmund "Ironside" at Oxford. Though Edmund son of Aethelred II had a younger brother and two infant sons his advisers recognized Canute as successor. Though his birth date is not known, Canute was a commander in his Father's army from 1012, and at first had to settle a number of uprisings amongst the nobility and others, which he quelled by maintaining a large army and navy from heavy taxation. He kept Wessex at first for himself whilst dividing up other areas for regional government under trusted Danish allies. Canute had married Aelfgifu daughter of Ealdorman Aelfhelm of Northumbria, but set her aside to marry Aethelred's widow Emma in 1017 who had fled to Normandy, and this latter union helped maintain the political continuity and tradition of English Kingship. Harald of Denmark died childless in 1018 and Canute used his English troops and finance to extend power to Scandanvia making his infant son Harthacanute titular Governor and heir of Denmark. Canute attempted to invade Sweden, and actually took Norway in 1028 having had a pilgrimage to Rome the year before. Canute left his eldest son by Aelfgifu, Swein to rule Norway and was now the most powerful King of England ever at this time and is likely when the apocryphal story of him trying to vainly order the coastal tide to turn and retreat in front of his courtiers emerged. However, Norway was lost by 1034, Canute did not respond, and he passed away suddenly at Shaftesbury in his mid-forties on the 12^thNovember 1035.

Torksey in Lincolnshire is situated on the banks of the River Trent just under 10 miles north-west of Lincoln and the Danes once wintered there in 872/3.