Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Triton XXVIII – Sessions 1-4 . 1019 Numistats ref: 673508
No match
The Sidney W. Harl & Kenneth W. Harl Collection
Category
ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of Mercia. Cynethryth. Wife of Offa, 757-796. AR Penny (17mm, 1.19 g, 10h). Light coinage, portrait type. Canterbury mint; Eoba, moneyer. Struck circa 784/5. Draped bust right; to left, Latin cross with pellets in angles; ·: ·: ··Є·Θ·B:Λ around / + C·FN·E∂·RF · ð · R·EGI(NT) · around barred Mercian m in pelleted circle. Chick 143; SCBI 67 (BM), 657-8; North 339; SCBC 909. Find patina, porosity, marks. VF. Very rare.
From the Sidney W. Harl & Kenneth W. Harl Collection, purchased from J. Linzalone, December 1999.
Cynethryth, the wife of King Offa of Mercia, was the first and only Anglo-Saxon queen to have her name and image placed on coins. While it has been suggested that these coins were inspired by the appearance of the empress Irene on Byzantine issues, the profile portrait harks back to coinage of Roman augustae. Many details of Cynethryth’s life, such as the date of her marriage, are unknown. She appears to have been active in political affairs until Offa’s death. After her husband’s passing, she became abbess of the monastery of Cookham, where she remained until her death sometime after 798. Cynethryth appears in the hagiography of St. Aethelbert, where she is portrayed as a jealous villain who incites Offa to kill the saint. Description
From the Sidney W. Harl & Kenneth W. Harl Collection, purchased from J. Linzalone, December 1999.
Cynethryth, the wife of King Offa of Mercia, was the first and only Anglo-Saxon queen to have her name and image placed on coins. While it has been suggested that these coins were inspired by the appearance of the empress Irene on Byzantine issues, the profile portrait harks back to coinage of Roman augustae. Many details of Cynethryth’s life, such as the date of her marriage, are unknown. She appears to have been active in political affairs until Offa’s death. After her husband’s passing, she became abbess of the monastery of Cookham, where she remained until her death sometime after 798. Cynethryth appears in the hagiography of St. Aethelbert, where she is portrayed as a jealous villain who incites Offa to kill the saint. Description
VF
Grade
1150.5 EUR
Starting
1917.5 EUR
Estimate
EUR
Realized