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PCI2010 Group 10D.1 Voting


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PCI2010 Group 10D.1 Voting  

17 members have voted

  1. 1. Pick your favorite

    • 1798 1 Pfenning, Rostock
      6
    • Edward the Confessor Jewellery Penny
      11


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elverno's 1798 1 Pfenning, Rostock

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This off-center piece probably survived in this condition because it was off-centered, and collected by an early error collector!

 

YeOldeCollector's Edward the Confessor Jewellery Penny

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This coin is an example of Edward the Confessor's "Expanding Cross" penny. All Anglo-Saxon pennies of this era were struck from silver blanks and this is of no exception. However, you should notice that one side is gold in colour, I shall explain why later. The photos really do not do it justice, its slightly wavy flan prevent true photos from being taken by myself.

 

The obverse legend, starting at 12 O'clock, reads "+EDP RDREX" which means King Edward. The obverse depicts a diademed bust facing left with a trefoil-headed sceptre in front.

 

The reverse legend, also starting at 12 O'clock, reads "+GODRICONLVNDE:" which is essentially Godric on Lvnde which signifies that Godric was responsible for minting this coin at London. The reverse features a short voided cross with expanding limbs joined at the base by two circles.

 

 

This coin was made into a brooch, one would suspect it to be contemporary as he marked the end of Anglo-Saxon reign it seems unlikely that the Norman reign would have seen such actions. I suspect that it was done by someone of wealth as it would be have been rather expensive to get something made of solid silver to be coated on one side in gold and then to have two silver pins put through the reverse all by hand. Bearing in mind that the two silver pins would most likely have been connected by a silver bar clasp then this is a high status symbol of wealth. Perhaps a nobleman or a very wealthy merchant would have worn such an item to display the wealth. As the reverse is gilded and the king's portrait is facing the wearer and not on display, one can assume that it was not worn as some sort of monarch-support badge like we see in the Cromwellian/Charles civil war of the 17th Century.

 

These brooches really are quite scarce and one like this is even more so as it still has its original pins and the coin shows very little wear if any. The level of detail remaining is literally as if it has just left the mint with the gilding reducing the relief somewhat.

 

A coin that is not too far off one thousand years old is nothing special as they can be quite easy to acquire. A coin of that age of English origin makes it a little scarcer but to have something of that age with the social ideology intertwined with the history is something that I find exceptionally impressive. I want to know who made it, who owned it, how it was lost and why was it made. I cannot help but wonder what sort of person last wore it as it sits on the palm of a hand the 21st Century, glistening in the light.

 

This is something I consider to be 'Special' as it is not just a coin but a status symbol and something which has another practical use.

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