Danish East Anglia, St Edmund Coinage Penny MS63

Anglo-Viking, Danish East Anglia (c.885-915), St Edmund,Memorial Coinage, silver Penny, moneyer Credin, A at centre, within linear circle, semi-barborous legend and outer linear circle surrounding, +SC ECA'N, the S supine and N retrograde,rev.cross at centre within toothed circle, legend and outer linear circle surrounding, +CRED.IN, the N retrograde, weight 1.46g (BMC -; N.483; S.961).Toned, with good metal though of a barbarous nature, has been slabbed and graded by NGC as MS63.

NGC Certification 6061348-003.

Following the Treaty of Wedmore in 880 the Viking invaders were granted lands to the east of Watling Street with coinage for circulation following soon after at first imitating the Wessex types of Alfred. Independent coinages followed for East Anglia like this piece, the East Midlands and Northumbria. The St Edmund coinage could have been issued or encouraged by the Christianised warlord Guthrum who took control from circa 880 and was a follower of the cult of Saint Edmund based upon the earlier heroic sacrifice of King Eadmund of East Anglia (855-870).

The obverse legend translates as "Saint Edmund" and the reverse "Cedin"

This coin was listed by Blackburn and Pagan in their 2002 article in the British Numismatic Journal volume 72 "The St. Edmund Coinage in the Light of a Parcel From a Hoard of St. Edmund Pennies." This coin is listed as number 20 where it is theorised that Credin could mean the name Cristin a moneyer found working in the north-eastern style of Aethelstan's coinage.

Provenance:

Ex "Baldwin Parcel" a hoard of 44 pieces that were purchased by A. H. Baldwin and Son privately in 1993 from an unknown location suspected to be East Midlands or East Anglia.