Edward the Elder Penny, Portrait type, Tila, ex Vatican Hoard (c.1928) and ex Williams

Edward the Elder (899-924),silver Penny, portrait type, Moneyer Tila, crude draped diademed bust left, Latin legend with inner linear and outer beaded circles surrounding, legend commences upper left in retrograde +EADVVEARD REX,rev.three cross pattées across centre, cross pattee at top with three pellet triangle either side and one further one at bottom of centre, Moneyer name in two lines, TILA M / ONETA, weight 1.59g (CTCE 40; cf.SCBI Oxford 9:308; BMC type VII, 6; N.651; S.1084).Toned unevenly, well centred, the face a little weak in strike, otherwise good very fine with an excellent provenance, and extremely rare.

For further reference see article "The Vatican Hoard of Anglo-Saxon Pennies" by M. A. O'Donavan, British Numismatic Journal 1964, pages 7-29, this coin listed in running order as 450, catalogue number B53. It is interesting to note this hoard contained only three Edward the Elder pennies of the moneyer Tila, and this coin was one of two with this reading, the second one being chipped. The hoard was found some time in 1928 purportedly on the Vatican Wireless site then under construction, and consisted of 517 Anglo-Saxon pennies in total, of which 437 were of King Edward the Elder and the majority went for auction in two parts through Glendining in London through 1929 and 1930.

The obverse Latin legend translates as "Edward King" and the reverse as "Tila Moneyer."

Edward the Elder born circa 871 was the elder of the sons of Alfred the Great and was already in charge of part of the army by the age of 21, and probably acted as his Father's deputy in continued skirmishes as late as 896 and was the natural choice to succeed him in 899 as full Ruler of Wessex and Mercia. From 917 a further annexation program commenced as Edward started to take over the "Five Boroughs" of the Danelaw and East Anglia. He then remained unchallenged of an enlarged England until his death on 17th July 924 aged around 53, leaving a large family of at least ten daughters and five sons by three wives.

Provenance:

Ex Vatican Hoard found c.1928 sold as "Some Rare Anglo-Saxon Pennies", second portion, Glendining, 13th November 1930, lot 53 sold for £2/12/6d. The matching coin as per O'Donavan's catalogue of 1964 cited above.

Ex Noble Numismatics, Auction 50, Australia, 21^st March 1996, lot 2529.

Ex Allan Williams Collection, part II, Spink Coin Auction 253, 2nd July 2018, lot 138.