ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of Kent. Ecgberht. Circa 765-785. AR Penny (16mm, 1.23 g, 10h). Canterbury mint; Udd, moneyer. Struck circa 776-circa 784. + EGCBERHT around (RX) / VDD within pelleted rectangle; above and below, cross pattée with pellets in quarters between spiral and triple pellet ornaments. Chick 87j (this coin); SCBI 67 (BM), 664 (same dies); North 200; SCBC 874. Toned, slight die rust. Good VF. Very rare.
From the Sidney W. Harl & Kenneth W. Harl Collection, purchased from J. Linzalone. Ex Dix Noonan Webb 30 (16 July 1997), lot 90 (front and back cover coin).
The kings of Kent had close ties to the Frankish court ever since Æthelberht (589-616) received St. Augustine and his forty Benedictine monks and converted to Christianity in 597. Hence, the Kings of Kent were likely the first to adopt the new hammered technology for striking pennies in manner of the deniers of the Carolingian kings.
Ecgberht, King of Kent (765-785) issued many charters and struck the first hammered pennies in England. He fought King Offa of Mercia at the Battle of Otford in 776, and so resisted efforts of Offa to subject Kent. Offa, however, subjected Kent in 785-796. This silver penny is a very important and historical coin.
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