Canute Penny, Short Cross type, Canterbury, Leofwine, ex Cambridge Hoard and English Doctor

Canute (1016-35), silver short cross Penny (1029-35), Canterbury Mint, Moneyer Leofwine, diademed bust left with sceptre, legend surrounding commences at top, CNVT .RECX., rev. pellet in annulet at centre of voided short cross, linear circles and legend surrounding, +LEOFPINE ON CENT, weight 1.18g (SCBI Hunterian 2:930; BMC type XVI; N.790; S.1159). Toned, well centred strike, almost extremely fine.

The legends translate as "Canute King " on obverse and on the reverse "Leofwine of Canterbury."

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 nineteen different moneyers working at Canterbury in his reign through four types.

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.

The City of Canterbury is 16 miles north west of Dover with gold Thrymsas known bearing its name as one of the most important mints in southern England during the 8^th and 9^th centuries. In 809 the Danes were bought off for £3,000 but the town was taken by them in 839 and 851, again circa 981 and finally in 1011. There were two moneyers who worked for the Archbishop and in 1189 this increased to three. The Abbot of St Augustine had the privilege of one die in eight until 1161 at Canterbury though the coins do not seem to bear any ecclesiastical marks, though pennies of Henry I type XIV can have an annulet on the shoulder for moneyers Algar and Willem. We also know for Henry II that the Abbot's moneyer was Alferg. There are die links with Hythe and Lewes in the reign of Aethelred II and with Hythe for William I.

Provenance:

Ex Cambridge Hoard, c.1992.

Ex A. H. Baldwin, Fixed Price List, Summer 2015, item AS106.

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