Canute Penny, Quatrefoil type, Norwich, Hwateman, NGC MS63 ex Bruun

Canute (1016-35),silver quatrefoil Penny (c.1017-23), Norwich Mint, Moneyer Hwateman, crowned and draped bust left within quatrefoil, legend surrounding commences at top, +CNVT REX ANGLORV, rev. pellet at centre of voided long cross, over quatrefoil with pellet cusps, legend surrounding, +HA TEM AN M NOR, weight 1.09g (SCBI Copenhagen IIIc 15:3168 this coin cited as Bruun 749; cf late Lincoln style, 'Regional die production in Cnut's Quatrefoil issue' Blackburn and Lyon; N.787; S.1158).Toned, well struck and well centred with clear readings, good very fine, has been slabbed and graded by NGC as MS63 with a nice old provenance.

NGC Certification 8223301-049 with L E Bruun label.

The Latin legends translate as "Canute King of the English" on obverse and on the reverse "Hwateman of Norwich."

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.

Bruton a village on the River Brue in Somerset about 12 miles from Wells, was probably fortified in Saxon times. There is a die link with the extremely rare Hillfort Mint of Cadbury where Aelfwine operated earlier in the period of Viking invasion under Aethelred II. Minting activity occurs here from the time of Aethelred II until Edward the Confessor.

Provenance:

Ex Countship of Brahesminde Collection, sold to L. E. Bruun in its entirety in 1922.

Ex L. E. Bruun Collection, Stacks Bowers Copenhagen, 29^th October 2025, lot 11052 and cited in the Copenhagen Sylloge as Bruun 749.

The key purchase that Danish butter merchant L. E. Bruun made for his collection, was in his 70^th birthday year of 1922 when ne bought the entire collection of the Countship of Brahesminde. This multi-generational collection was bult by the Bille-Brahe clan commencing around the year 1800. As Bruun died the following year it was not until after his demise that the Bille-Brahe collection was fully integrated and duplicate pieces were sold off in the Holger Hede auction of October 1925 amounting to 6,241 lots. This was also the year that Bruun's British, Continental and American collections were sold in two auctions at Sotheby in London. Over 500 medieval pennies were also donated in 1925 to the Danish Royal Collection at this time. The fully integrated Bruun Collection was then kept for a period of 100 years as a reserve for the Danish Royal Collection should it ever be lost in the event of fire or theft and if still intact after this time to be sold to benefit his descendants which is what has happened in 2025.