The kings and coins of Anglo-Saxon Mercia

[Nap]

Mercia was a large and centrally located Anglo-Saxon kingdom and one part of the "heptarchy" of the early medieval period of England. Mercia became the dominant kingdom of England during the 7th century and remained so until the 9th century, when Viking attacks and infighting decimated the country and considerably changed the political climate, leading to the rise of Wessex.

The early coinage of Mercia was much like the other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, small (10-12mm) sceattas featuring abstract designs with Christian, Pagan, and Celtic imagery. Kings and princes were not named on the coinage, with the exception of a sceat with the Runic name of Aethelred, possibly representing the contemporary Mercian king of that name. In the mid 8th century a powerful king named Offa began coinage in his own name, copying the contemporary deniers of France. Offa was probably the Anglo-Saxon equivalent to the "enlightened despot", such as Charlemagne, and accomplished political, economic, and military goals. He is remembered for "Offa's dyke", an earthwork formation dividing England from Wales, which still partially exists to this day. In numismatics, his main contribution is the coinage reform that led to the first coins that most would recognize as "pennies". The penny coinage would not considerably change in size, weight, or composition for nearly 1000 years.

Offa was less successful in establishing a dynasty. Despite having a successor in place, his plans were thwarted on his death and his son was only around for a few months before he died, presumably (though not necessarily) violently. A noble named Coenwulf became king and immediately faced political breakdown from other lands that his predecessor had subdued. He seems to have been an energetic king who dealt with a multitude of political and military problems, mostly with his neighbors.

On Coenwulf’s death, a series of short reigns followed, of which we know little.  First was Ceolwulf I, brother of Coenwulf.  He was deposed in favor of a seemingly unrelated king, Beornwulf.  Beornwulf’s short reign was notable for two major defeats, a battle against Wessex that heralded the latter’s ascendancy, and a battle against the East Angles trying to remove the Mercian yoke, which led to Beornwulf’s death.  Beornwulf was followed by Ludica, who met the identical fate just a year later, dying in battle against the East Anglians.  Ludica was followed by the also presumably unrelated Wiglaf, who was defeated and deposed by Ecgberht of Wessex.  Ecgberht soon found himself kicked out again in favor of the resilient Wiglaf.

All of this happened in less than a decade.  After Wiglaf’s second reign, his son and grandson were quickly removed and a new dynasty installed.  But then a curious thing followed.  Mercia, though clearly in decline and forever disconnected from its client kingdoms in Kent and East Anglia, entered a period of stability.  For the next 40 years or so there was relative peace with the reigns of Berhtwulf and Burgred.  There was also a degree of cooperation between Mercia and Wessex against Viking invaders.

However Mercia’s days were numbered and the Viking invasions would do them in.  The last king of independent Mercia, Ceolwulf II, is called a Viking puppet by the Wessex-biased chronicle, but even if he was marginalized by history, he was still unable to lead Mercia back into prosperity.  Mercia became absorbed into Wessex.

With a recent acquisition I managed to collect all the Mercian kings.  I am still missing a coin of Ecgberht of Wessex, who was briefly ruler of Mercia, but I have managed to find the others.  All Mercian coins are rare, though Offa, Coenwulf, and Burgred are somewhat more numerous.  The others are rare, and Ludica and Wiglaf are extremely rare, hence my damaged examples.

Here are my examples of coins of the Mercian kings.

 

Offa 757-706, London mint

 

Offa 757-796, Canterbury mint

 

Coenwulf 796-821, Ipswich mint

 

Coenwulf 796-821, Canterbury mint

 

Ceolwulf I 821-823, Ipswich mint

 

Beornwulf 823-826, Ipswich mint

 

Ludica 826-827, Ipswich mint

 

Wiglaf 827-829, 830-839, London mint

 

Berhtwulf 840-852, London mint

 

Burgred 852-874, London mint

 

Ceolwulf II 874-879, London mint

Edited April 23 by Nap

[John Conduitt]

That is quite a collection. Where do you buy them all? I don't think I've seen some of the rulers come up at all.

I have only two of the 'easy' ones, which are still not at all cheap. My Offa, being only half a coin, was at least not expensive.

Offa Group II Light Coinage Cut Halfpenny, 780-792

London. Silver, 16mm, 0.43g. OFFA with chevron-barred A (over REX), separated by line of pellets with forked ends; various pellets in the field. AEDEL (over PALD, moneyer Aethelweald), divided by line of pellets with forked ends; various pellets in the field (S 904).

Burgred Lunette Type A Penny, 868-874

London. Silver, 19.5mm, 1.36g. Bust (type V5) right; BURGREDREX+. +BEAGZTA in between [N]MON | ETA (Beagstan moneyer); two lunettes divide the legend (S 938).

[Nap]

1 hour ago, John Conduitt said:

That is quite a collection. Where do you buy them all? I don't think I've seen some of the rulers come up at all.

Mostly British dealers and auctions, with one from an American dealer and one from an Australian auction.

Congrats on your Mercian.  The Burgred is particularly nice.  None of them are easy!

[ela126]

Dang. Ive watched the hammer groups on FB for several years and I’m not sure if I’ve heard of 2 or 3 of those. Wow

[Edessa]

Wonderful coins! I splurged on this one a couple of years ago.

British Anglo-Saxon. Kings of Mercia. Coenwulf, AD 796-821. AR Penny (20.5mm, 1.28g, 3h). Portrait type. Canterbury mint; Deormod, moneyer. Struck circa AD 810-812. Obv: +COENVVLF REX m; diademed bust right. Rev: +DIORmOD mONETΛ; double pincer-shaped cross superimposed on cross pommée; wedges in angles. Ref: Naismith C39.1q (this coin); SCBI 67 (BM), 132; North 347; SCBC 916. Good Very Fine, even glossy find patina. From the G.W. Trow Collection. Ex Spink Numismatic Circular CXVII.2 (May 2009), no. HS3711. Ex CNG Triton XXIII (15 Jan 2020), Lot 1273. 

[Rand]

8 hours ago, Nap said:

Here are my examples of coins of the Mercian kings.

This is an amazing collection! Congratulations!

 

It would be good to keep it a start of a lasting thread on this topic.

[Anaximander]

I echo Rand's reply. This is a collection for the ages, impressive for its breadth and its quality. So many portrait coins!  I've often tried, and often failed, to obtain coins of the Mercian kings. For instance, I have yearned for a penny of Burgred.  I would gawk at one or another at London coin fairs, but invariably purchase something besides.  His coins now appear to be almost pedestrian, alongside the rarities in Nap's collection.  I've been fortunate to collect most of the pennies of the kings of Wessex, so I'll include Ecgberht here, in my virtual tray of Mercian coins, despite not thinking of him as a Mercian king.  I'll wager that Nap has a penny of Cynethryth stashed somewhere in his coin cabinet. 

Edited May 11 by Anaximander
Upsized virtual tray for legibility.

[Nap]

30 minutes ago, Anaximander said:

I echo Rand's reply. This is a collection for the ages, impressive for its breadth and its quality. So many portrait coins!  I've often tried, and often failed, to obtain coins of the Mercian kings. For instance, I have yearned for a penny of Burgred.  I would gawk at one or another at London coin fairs, but invariably purchase something besides.  His coins now appear to be almost pedestrian, alongside the rarities in Nap's collection.  I've been fortunate to collect most of the pennies of the kings of Wessex, so I'll include Ecgberht here, in my virtual tray of Mercian coins, despite not thinking of him as a Mercian king.  I'll wager that Nap has a penny of Cynethryth stashed somewhere in his coin cabinet. 

 

 

Lovely collection, Anaximander.  There are no easy middle-period Anglo-Saxon coins!

Sadly, and much to my shame, I do not have a coin of Queen Cynethryth.  There are some holes in my set.  Besides Ecgberht and Cynethryth, I am also missing most of the ecclesiastical coins associated with Mercia- coins of Offa with Archbishop Jaenberht, Offa with Archbishop Aethelheard, and Offa with Bishop Eadberht.

[Severus Alexander]

And all the portraits except for Wiglaf, WOW!! Some stratospheric coins there, @Nap, congrats.

I’d love to get a cut half of Offa like yours, @John Conduitt. That’s all I aspire to, so as to represent Mercia in my collection. They don’t come up often though!

[JeandAcre]

These are all just mind-blowing.  I have nothing from anywhere any earlier than AEthelred II, and this has been an ongoing epiphany.

...But given that level of disinterestedness, I have to wonder if it might be appropriate to expand this thread into other contemporary kingdoms, and maybe Wessex as far as the later 9th or even early 10th conturies --?  Bouncing off @Nap's point, going back to his OP, the progression strikes me as pretty seamless, through AElfred and, by what strikes me as an easy extension, beyond.  I'd love to see anyone's examples of Wessex, at least as late as AEthelstan.

[Grimulfr]

Wonderful collection @Nap - the designs of many Offa pennies are mesmerising. I love the uncial M that denotes Mercian coinage. I cannot think of another letter/ character on a coinage that is so indicative of its origin. My collection is sadly lacking in Mercian pennies - this Northumbrian styca of Aethelred II is the only coin I have with an uncial M and the Mercian coinage must have inspired the moneyer Leofthegn…

[Nap]

3 hours ago, Severus Alexander said:

And all the portraits except for Wiglaf

Sadly, as far as I know, only one portrait coin of Wiglaf is privately held, with another three (I think) in the British Museum.  It last sold about a dozen years ago.  The coin is in nice condition but the portrait is rather messy due to very rusted dies.

[Nap]

17 minutes ago, Grimulfr said:

Wonderful collection @Nap - the designs of many Offa pennies are mesmerising. I love the uncial M that denotes Mercian coinage. I cannot think of another letter/ character on a coinage that is so indicative of its origin. My collection is sadly lacking in Mercian pennies - this Northumbrian styca of Aethelred II is the only coin I have with an uncial M and the Mercian coinage must have inspired the moneyer Leofthegn…

Cool coin.  I have one of those as well, the Leofthegn special designs are really neat coins of the styca series.

The generally accepted scholarship is that the ‘m’ is an upside down lowercase omega.  And another Leofthegn styca has a central ‘A’ for alpha.  Alpha and omega being significant on this Christian coin.

But alternate theories are welcome.  Mercian coins feature a central ‘m’ and East Anglian coins feature a central ‘A’.  So it’s possible the central ‘m’ is not an omega.

Here are two wretched pictures.  I have a better omega styca but couldn’t find a picture.  For both, when properly oriented for alpha/omega, the legend begins at the bottom.

 

[Edessa]

British Anglo-Saxon. Kings of Wessex. Æthelstan, AD 924-939. AR Penny (22mm, 1.69g, 12h). Bust Crowned (BC) type (BMC viii). Norwich mint; Secgge, moneyer. Obv: +ÆÐELSTΛN REX; crowned, helmeted, draped bust right. Rev: +SECGGE · MO · NORPIC; small cross pattée. Ref: Grierson, Coins of Medieval Europe, pp. 60–1; Blunt, Aethelstan 287; SCBI 34 (BM), 148 (same rev. die); North 675; SCBC 1095. Good Very Fine. Portrait of fine style. Minor weakness in crown. Lightly toned. Rare. From the Richard A. Jourdan Collection of Medieval European Coins, purchased privately from Classical Numismatic Group, 2018. CNG Note: Aethelstan was the first ruler to be recognized as King of All England. In the 930s the Grately Codes decreed that there was to be only one coinage in the kingdom. He is the first English king to be depicted wearing a crown on the coinage. Ex CNG Triton XXIII (15 Jan 2020), Lot 1233.