Canute Penny, Quatrefoil type, Shaftesbury Mint, Moneyer Aelfwine

Canute (1016-35), silver quatrefoil Penny (c.1017-25), Shaftesbury Mint, Moneyer Aelfwine, 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, +ELP INE O N SEF TESB., weight 1.15g (SCBI -; BMC type VIII 497; N.781; S.1157). Lightly toned with reverse just a touch off-centre, good very fine with a fuller mint reading and being from the location Canute died.

The legends translate as "Canute King of the English" on obverse and on the reverse "Elfwine of Shaftesbury."

This coin is of the mid-Winchester style, as defined by Blackburn and Lyon in their article "Regional Die Production in Cnut's Quatrefoil Issue." These dies were therefore cut at Winchester and sent to Shaftebury to utilise. 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. Shaftesbury operated with up to eight moneyers in this reign through four types.

The fact we could not trace a sylloge reference for this coin may mean in emanates from the Cambridge find of 1993 which was never recorded.

Canute could have been as young as 21 when he ascended the English throne after the 28^th November 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^th November 1035.

Situated in Dorset nearly 25 miles north northwest of Dorchester on high ground, Shaftesbury is where Dunstan took the body of Edward the Martyr for interment after his death at Corfe Castle. Minting activity occurs from the reign of Aethelstan to King Stephen including a die link with the rare "BRYGIN" pieces.

Provenance:

Ex Classical Numismatic Group webshop, June 2020.

Ex Collection of an English Doctor part II, Sovereign Rarities fixed price list online May 2022.