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EM14538

William I Penny, Extremely rare Mule of Two Sceptres/Two Stars, Lincoln Mint

William I (1066-87), silver Penny, mule of two sceptre type (1071-74?) and two stars type (1074-77?), Lincoln Mint, moneyer Sigaerith, facing crowned bust with sceptre each side above shoulder, all within linear circle, Latin legend commences at top with outer beaded circle surrounding both sides, +PILEM REX ANG, rev. annulet at centre of cross bottonnée, over quadrilateral with incurved sides, +SIGIIERIÐ OII LIIIC, weight 1.29g (Mossop plate LXXXI, 1, 20; BMC type IV/V -/330; N.844/845; S.1253/1254). Toned, weak in parts, very fine and one of only two known examples of this extremely rare mule that was unknown at the time the British Museum Catalogue of Norman Kings was published.

The legends translate as "William, King of the English " and on the reverse "Siguerith of Lincoln"

North records up to 26 moneyers working at Lincoln in this reign in all types.

Mules of the two sceptres and two stars type are extremely rare as a numismatic phenomenon across all the mints of William I there are only two other occurrences first at the Hereford Mint under moneyer Aethelwine, of which two examples are on the Early Medieval Corpus and another at the Ipswich mint of moneyer Aegelbriht.

The only other known example of this mule offered herewith, is that recorded in "The Lincoln Mint c.890-1279" by H. R. Mossop where the plate referenced above can be found and this coin appears on the Early Medieval Corpus as 1027.0847.

Muling of dies can occur for a number of theoretical reasons but most likely boils down to availability of dies and a demand to strike coin, or perhaps an error in pairing dies at the time of die change, which occurred on a regular cyclical basis in the reign of William the Conquerer.

The first Norman King of England, William the Conqueror born around 1028 was the son of Robert I of Normandy and Herleya. A descendant of Rollo, William became Duke of Normandy in 1035, he subsequently married Matilda of Flanders in the 1050s ensuring a powerful ally in that neighbouring region. After a protracted struggle and quashing rebellions, his hold over Normandy was eventually secure by 1060 and with appointment of supporting abbots and bishops in the Norman church, and he subsequently secured the region of Maine in 1062. Williams first cousin once removed was the childless Edward the Confessor of England and from this family connection and that Edward had previously told him he would succeed, he assumed a claim to the throne of England over Harold Godwinson, who Edward had named as his successor on his deathbed in January 1066. William also claimed that Harold previously had promised the throne to him in the event of succession, Harold having sworn over holy relics in Williams presence as depicted in the Bayeux tapestry. William therefore built up a powerful invasion force to cross the channel and fight for the right to rule England as of September 1066. He landed at Pevensey Bay and after setting up camp with a basic fort at Hastings he marched north to meet Harold at Senlac Hill at Battle, East Sussex on the 14th October. A battle raged for most of the day, with at one point a rumour spread that William was slain resulting in him having to remove his helmet and reveal he was alive and fighting, boosting the morale of the Normans for the final onslaught in which Harold perished, either from an arrow in the eye or cut down by a horseman. William then went on a military tour to put down local uprisings leading to his crowning in Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day. He made arrangements in London for governance for whenever he would be in Normandy, and by 1075 his hold on England was almost complete with many forts and castles constructed. His later years involved quelling other uprisings in Europe and difficulty with his eldest son Robert Curthose, but his most famous achievement in England was the preparation of the Domesday Book in 1086; a survey of the land and the land-owners and nobles within it, listing pre-conquest and current holders at that time. William died in September 1087 leading a campaign in northern France and was buried at Caen. Normandy was given to eldest son Robert, with England given to his next surviving son William Rufus.

The City of Lincoln situated on the north bank of the River Witham some 33 miles north east of Nottingham was occupied by the Danes in 918 but the army there submitted to Edward the Elder and in 942 was one of the Five Boroughs. William I built a castle here in 1067 and the minster of St Mary was taken by Remigius of Dorchester as his cathedral in 1072. Later Rannulf the Earl of Chester and William de Roumare Earl of Loncoln, seized the castle to hold against King Stephen in 1140. The King besieged the castle and was captured in defeat at the Battle of Lincoln with the town sacked and burnt. The castle was later surrendered to Stephen by Rannulf who three years later granted it back to him.

Minting activity is thought to commence here with the St Martin coinage and then from Eadred to Henry III. In the middle of the reign of Henry I the signature of the Lincoln Mint changes to NICOLE until the end of Stephens first type and in some later short cross coinage, this being a French name for the city seen in some mediaeval documents, with Lincolnia being the name in Latin.

Provenance:

Ex Lockdales Auction 175, 28th March 2020, lot 1534.

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

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