King Eadgar (English hammered penny)

[rasiel]

The unenviable honor of least well known of all the English monarchs goes to this Eadgar fellow, son of former king Eadmund and father of the much better known Aethelred II. Still in his teens, he takes the throne after the untimely death of his brother Eadwig (also in his teens). Fortunately for him, he manages to stay alive a full decade. And that's this reign's most significant data point.

The only other noteworthy detail of his tenure would be his wife. Er... wives. Despite his youth he will have scored no fewer than three wives by his mid-twenties. First was Aethelflaed who left this world at a very tender age, then came Wulfthryth and he finally settles down with Aelfryth. This ith fryth wryth thirph sdfkhj sdkjhkhkjsd.

Shoot, these Anglo Saxon names damn near broke my keyboard!

Anyway, as can be seen on this coin we may conclude that 1) either the Royal Chief Engraver to His Majesty was a position bestowed upon the best behaved third grader or, 2) Eadgar's countenance had an unfortunate resemblance to a pig.

Eadgar's getting the last laugh though from beyond the grave, as he just saw me shell out a cool seven grand for this sorry piece of silver that would have been a day laborer's paycheck at the time of minting!

Part of my British Set

Rasiel

[JayAg47]

That's Flash! 

[CPK]

Congrats on the coin!

What a portrait! 😄

[John Conduitt]

Great coin. I'm not sure what happened to his portrait as he doesn't always look like that!

I don't think he's the least well-known, although that does depend on whether you mean kings of all England or just English kings. Even his brother Eadwig is less well known.

[wuntbedruv]

On 10/6/2024 at 8:46 AM, rasiel said:

The unenviable honor of least well known of all the English monarchs goes to this Eadgar fellow, son of former king Eadmund and father of the much better known Aethelred II. Still in his teens, he takes the throne after the untimely death of his brother Eadwig (also in his teens). Fortunately for him, he manages to stay alive a full decade. And that's this reign's most significant data point.

The only other noteworthy detail of his tenure would be his wife. Er... wives. Despite his youth he will have scored no fewer than three wives by his mid-twenties. First was Aethelflaed who left this world at a very tender age, then came Wulfthryth and he finally settles down with Aelfryth. This ith fryth wryth thirph sdfkhj sdkjhkhkjsd.

Shoot, these Anglo Saxon names damn near broke my keyboard!

Anyway, as can be seen on this coin we may conclude that 1) either the Royal Chief Engraver to His Majesty was a position bestowed upon the best behaved third grader or, 2) Eadgar's countenance had an unfortunate resemblance to a pig.

Eadgar's getting the last laugh though from beyond the grave, as he just saw me shell out a cool seven grand for this sorry piece of silver that would have been a day laborer's paycheck at the time of minting!

Part of my British Set

Rasiel

I would say his two law codes, coinage reforms, impressive coronation, the general stability of his 16 year reign and promotion of culture/arts (to name but a few aspects) are highly significant contributions to the rich historical tapestry of Later Anglo-Saxon England. The impact of Eadgar's reign and his undertakings go far beyond his three marriages.

He is also certainly not the least known King of All England. I would agree with Mr Conduitt above that Eadwig (r. 955-959) is far less well known, as is his uncle Eadred (r. 946-955). 

[Gordon Grant]

Brilliant and great fun portrait.🤗🤗🤗🤗

[Edessa]

Great coin! I did pick up one a few years back at a much less expensive price, but the flan has several cracks. Yours is so much better!

Anglo-Saxon. Kings of All England. Eadgar. AD 959-975. AR Penny (22mm, 1.30g, 3h). Bust Crowned (BC) type. Mint in East Anglia; Hildigir, moneyer. Obv: +EΛDGΛR REX; Radiate and draped bust right. Rev: +HILDIGIR MONETA Λ; Small cross pattée. Ref: CTCE –; Hild –; SCBI 34 (BM), –; North 750; SCBC 1138. Near Extremely Fine, toned, faint reverse scratches, flan cracks (one with material added for support). Very rare, and an unrecorded moneyer for this series. Ex Londinium Collection. Ex. Triton XXII (7 Jan 2019), Lot 1377. Ex Heritage 61305, The Historical Scholar Collection (22 Jan 2023), Lot 23125. 

[rasiel]

7 hours ago, Edessa said:

Yours is so much better!

No way, I don't think so. That's a real looker there. Do you have any other Wessexers (Wessexians?? lol)

Rasiel

[Edessa]

Ras, only a handful. Here are a few of portrait issues.

British Anglo-Saxon. Kings of Wessex. Æthelberht, AD 858-865/866. AR Penny (21mm, 1.35g, 3h). Inscribed Cross type. Canterbury mint; Herefeth, moneyer. Struck circa AD 858-864. Obv: +ΛEÐELBEΛR(HT) REX; diademed bust right. Rev: +(HE)REFR EÐ mO N E T Λ; arranged on limbs of, and around, beaded cross. Ref: Naismith C188g (this coin); SCBI 67 (BM) 1270; North 620; SCBC 1053. Good Very Fine, lightly toned. From the G.W. Trow Collection, purchased from York Coins, Oct 2009. Ex Bruun Rasmussen 764 (11 Dec 2006), Lot 5432. Ex CNG Triton XXIII (15 Jan 2020), Lot 1279.

British Anglo-Saxon, Danish East Anglia. Coin weight. Late 9th century. Circular lead weight with inset coin (48.10 g). Coin is a local issue of an AR Penny of Alfred the Great (AD 871-899): first coinage, lunette type, circa AD 871-875; uncertain mint and moneyer (cf. North 625; cf. SCBC 1057). Cf. Williams, Anglo-Saxon 21 (for type), and 22 (for value). For weight: Good condition, tan and brown patina, small area chipped off edge; for coin: Very Fine. 

British Anglo-Saxon, Danish East Anglia ("Danelaw"). Coin weight. Late 9th century. Circular lead weight with inset coin (24.01 g with coin). Coin is an AR Penny of Alfred the Great (AD 871-899): first coinage, lunette type, circa AD 871-875; Canterbury mint, moneyer Eadulf. Ref: (SCBC -; cf. BMC 187 [for moneyer on cross-and-lozenge type]; North 625; SCBC 1057). Cf. G. Williams, "Anglo-Saxon and Viking Coin Weights," BNJ 69 (1999), 21. For weight: Good condition, tan and brown patina, small area chipped off edge; for coin: Fine, toned, slight roughness to reverse. Very rare, and an unrecorded moneyer for Alfred's lunette coinage. 

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.