Harold II Penny, PAX type, York Mint, Moneyer Sutere

Harold II (6th Jan-14th Oct 1066), silver Penny, York Mint, Moneyer Sutere, crowned bust left with sceptre, legend and beaded outer circle surrounding, legend commences at top right, +HAROLD REX ANGLO, rev. PAX between beaded lines horizontal at centre, beaded circles and legend surrounding, legend commences at left +SVTERE ON EOFER, weight 1.26g (SCBI 2:1223; BMC type I, 21-22; N.836; S.1186). Toned a little weak on one part of legend both sides, with a very well-defined portrait of the King, almost extremely fine, reverse a tad weaker, a pleasing penny.

The legends translate as "Harold King of the English" on the obverse and "Sutere of York" on the reverse with "Peace" across the centre.

According to North the York Mint operated with up to twelve moneyers in this reign for this sole type, which is also the most prolific of all the English mints for Harold II.

The short reign of Harold II seems to see a reduction in the number of mints and moneyers in operation, though with the recent find in the Chew Valley in Somerset of a hoard of Harold II and William I coins, numismatists are waiting with baited breath to see what new expansion of such data can be garnered from further study, as the hype of new types apparent in the hoard have caused great excitement. According to North the Lewes Mint in Sussex only had three moneyers for Harold II as opposed to fifteen for his predecessor Edward. As of the publication of North most mints show only such small numbers active, with the most actually at York with up to twelve and Lincoln and London tying for second place with eight moneyers each. Gloucester and Cambridge tie for third with six moneyers apiece. The only type known and available to commerce at present, is the PAX type on account of the short reign culminating in the Battle of Hastings, unless the Chew Hoard contains new types not seen before which more than likely would end up institutionalized.

Harold "Godwinson" the son of Godwin of Wessex born circa 1022, rose to prominence in the reign of Edward the Confessor, especially after his Father passed away in 1053 becoming Chief Minister and Commander in Chief of England and the second richest man after Edward himself. Harold waged successful campaigns against the Welsh and supressed revolts, notably that of his brother Tostig of Northumbria in 1065 who he exiled. At this time the French sources say Harold visited with William of Normandy possibly to negotiate the release of his brother Wulfnoth and nephew who were held hostage. Harold apparently accompanied William on an expedition to Brittaney, bravely saving some soldiers from quicksand at Mont St Michel; for which William knighted him, effectively making him "his man" and to swear an allegiance to him as heir to England; all unknowingly over some holy relics as shown in the Bayeux Tapestry. Harold succeeded to the English throne on the 4^th January ahead of Edgar Aethling who was 12-14 years of age, and he was crowned on the 5^th January 1066 at Westminster Abbey, the first such event in the new building. Harold was married to Edith "Swan-neck" and had three sons and two daughters, but by the Summer of 1066 with the threat of William of Normandy in the south, and Norwegian Harald Hardradi from the north, to gain the allegiance of the powerful northern Earls Edwin and Morcar, he set aside his wife to marry their sister Edith, the widow of Gruffyd of Wales. Harold's exiled brother Tostig briefly raided the coast of Norfolk but was driven off to Scotland to his ally Malcolm III; where he was ideally placed to join Harald Hardradi, who first landed shortly after in the Orkneys. Earls Edwin and Morcar marched north and were defeated by Harald at Gate Fulford on the 20^th September 1066 who then took York. The invaders moved on and were caught by Harold II and his army unawares on the River Derwent at Stamford Bridge, where they were defeated on 25^th September with both Harald and Tostig killed.

Meanwhile on the 27^th September William set sail and landed at Pevensey Bay, East Sussex ravaging the county to lure Harold II to battle from over two hundred miles from the north. The decisive encounter took place on the 14^th October 1066 with Harold killed in the final attack of the day, having either been cut down by a horseman or suffering from the injury of the arrow in the eye, his ex-wife Edith Swan-neck had to identify him, he was no older than 44. In London the young Edgar Aethling grandson of Edmund Ironside was proclaimed King by the Archbishop of York and the Earls of Mercia and Northumbria, but it was merely a waiting game until a surrender to William at Berkhamsted. Edgar went to Scotland, where his sister Margaret had married King Malcolm III, being later involved in a failed revolt in 1068; and then survived till as late as 1125. He was therefore aware that his niece Edith of Scotland, also known as Matilda, married into the Norman family as wife of King Henry I. His sister Margaret was later canonized as by Pope Innocent IV in 1250 as well as being mother to two Scottish Kings.

The City of York at the junction of the River Foss and River Ouse, about 190 miles north west of London has been an archbishopric since 753 with some gold Thrymsa coins being produced. It was the early minting place of coins of the Kings of Northumbria in both copper and silver as well as the Archbishops of York. The mint name first appears on some of the occupational Viking coinages making the city their capital from 867. In 919 the city passed to the Hiberno-Norse Kings of Dublin and back to the English in 927 when taken from Guthfrith. Between 939 and 943 the Vikings were back in town and again from 947-954 but otherwise remained under English rule with the Norman castle even holding out to a Saxon/Danish occupation in 1069 being relieved by William I who built a second castle on the right bank of the Ouse, the City having been burnt. As soon as William departed the Vikings returned but upon William's return they fled back to their ships and the Normans harried Yorkshire. Later minting activity occurs from the reign of Aethelstan onward, incorporating Viking Kings of York coinage, through a long period right through to King Edward VI, as well as a Civil War Mint for King Charles I and a branch mint for the milled recoinage of William III.

Provenance:

Ex Hess Divo, Auction 323, 30th May 2013, lot 934.

Ex Mark Rasmussen Numismatist, List 25, Winter 2013, item 17.

Ex G. F. Trow, C.N.G. Triton Auction XXIII, 13th January 2020, lot 1292.

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