Harthacnut Jewel Cross type Penny, London Mint, Moneyer Eadwold

Harthacanute (1035-42), silver Penny, jewel cross type (c.1036-38), London Mint, Moneyer Eadweald, diademed bust right, legend and toothed border surrounding, commencing at top right, +HARÐA CNVT RC,rev.pellet at centre of lobed cross, two inner linear circles unite lobes at centre, legend and toothed border surrounding, +EADPALD ON LVN::, weight 1.16g (BMC type Ia var.; Parsons -; N.809; S.1167).Lightly toned though of bright appearance, struck on target from lightly striated dies, a little blundered otherwise very fine and extremely rare, the only one currently available of right facing bust type for this moneyer.

The abbreviated legends translate as on the obverse "King Harold" and on reverse the moneyer "Eadweald of London."

The moneyer at London was unknown to H. A. Parsons in his article "The Anglo-Saxon Coins of Harthacnut" British Numismatic Journal volume 11, 1915 but known by the time of North's writing for arm and sceptre type and a left facing bust jewel cross appears on the early medieval corpus as EMC 1018.0669 for one in Copenhagen. According to North the London Mint operated with up to 24 moneyers in this reign through all three types. This coin adds a new moneyer to the known right facing bust types.

Harthacanute was the only son from the union of Canute and Emma widow of King Aethelred II who had married in 1017 and he was presumably born in 1018. He became nominal ruler of Denmark in 1023 around the age of 5 with Thorkell the Tall as regent, and subsequently absent from England for most of his life. When his Father Canute died in 1035 Harthacanute was 17 years of age but could not leave Denmark for fear of invasion from Norway. In England he had support for Kingship from Godwin of Wessex and his mother Emma in Winchester. Subsequently in 1037 Godwin crossed over to side with Harold, and Emma fled across the channel to Bruges, where Harthacanute eventually joined her with his fleet in late 1039. After agreeing terms with Magnus of Norway on the basis as they were both childless, that whoever passed away first would inherit the other's Kingdom. Subsequently Magnus outlived Harthacanute and would later claim that their regnal agreement included England as well as Denmark. It was at this time that Emma brought her son by Aethelred II Edward, later the Confessor, to meet with Harthacanute. Before the fleet could embark Harold died in March of 1040 avoiding any conflict. Harthacanute was crowned on the 18^th June 1040 at Canterbury and named Edward as his heir in 1041. Harthacanute died suddenly on the 8^th June 1042 after imbibing too much at a wedding celebration aged circa 24.

Capital City London upon the River Thames following Roman occupation, minted some of the earliest Saxon coins with gold Thrymsas and silver denarii with a "Londuniu" signature. Mercian Kings beginning with Offa minted coins there, but the first coin to actually say City of London upon it is the unique Ludica portrait Penny that was found in 2016, followed by subsequent coins of Ecgberht. In 871 the Danes wintered in London for the first time but was King Alfred of Wessex who settled and fortified the capital circa 880 to resist further invasions. Edward the Elder incorporated the City in Wessex in 911 and it resisted a major attack in the reign of Aethelred II in 1009. However, London submitted to the Danish Swein in 1013, but three years later the citizens accepted Eadmund Ironside as King and resisted a siege by Canute.

Later unsettled times occurred in the anarchy period of the reign of King Stephen, remaining loyal to the King except for a few months in 1141 when Empress Matilda was admitted but within a short time expelled. Coinage activity here has been mostly constant throughout history from the Romans until the reign of our current Queen and only moving out to Wales from 1969.