Lucky #13 (Anglo-Saxon newp)

EVillageProwler

Just bought this super rare type. It’s not perfect, having nice detail but with significant surface flaking.

This is my 13th coin purchase of the year, and I wrote “lucky” because of how this purchase transpired. In a nutshell, I saw the coin newly listed. I had done much prior business with this dealer so I emailed him asking if the coin’s available (because the “order” button was inactive for this lot). I don’t hear back all through the weekend. A buddy who also inquired about this coin finally heard back Sunday that the coin has been sold. We’re both dejected. Then Monday morning around 5:30am I get email from the dealer with a link to pay for this lot. I was very happy but uncertain about the fairness of the situation given my friend wasn’t offered the coin. My friend told me to just buy it, which I did before heading to work. Happy for me, but slightly sad for my friend. (“Slightly sad” because my friend has a lesser quality duplicate already.)

Dealer lot description:

'FLEDGLING' Type 33 - AR Sceat

Fledgling running r./Wolf's hd.r. serpent.

Date: ca.700-50AD
Diameter: ca.11mm
Weight: ca.0.9g
Catalogue ref: S832, Abramson 44-30

291fifth

It has a nice bold strike. The flaking is unfortunate but then you are not talking about 1881-S Morgan Dollars here.

Bob13

That looks pretty cool. Some of these designs I get - others look like something from Alien!

TwoKopeiki

Great coin. That's some pretty artistic die work.

Stork

Awesome! Friend probably understands, and likely it was a glitch of the software and you got the email in first. Plus Friend also has one already, it was a bigger 'need' for you. As much as any of us need anything . Fascinating coins!

EVillageProwler

Thanks, all, for the comments!

@Bob13 said:
That looks pretty cool. Some of these designs I get - others look like something from Alien!

The meaning of Anglo-Saxon iconography is sometimes lost to modern day scholars -- sadly. Anna Gannon has a book on the topic, which I intend to open one day.

@Stork said:
Awesome! Friend probably understands, and likely it was a glitch of the software and you got the email in first. Plus Friend also has one already, it was a bigger 'need' for you. As much as any of us need anything . Fascinating coins!

Need is appropriate enough!!!

Nap

@Stork said:
Awesome! Friend probably understands, and likely it was a glitch of the software and you got the email in first. Plus Friend also has one already, it was a bigger 'need' for you. As much as any of us need anything . Fascinating coins!

The friend understands

Here is the lesser quality piece-

The upgrade will be made eventually. This collection will take a while in any case. There is no finality to the set, as is frequently the case with ancient and medieval coins, no “last piece to get”. It makes it fun and challenging.

And “need” is both the wrong and the right term, for reasons each of us collectors (but few others) can clearly understand.

Congrats EVP!

Stork

I thought you might have been the Friend. 'Need' really has a collector specific meaning. Cool coins!

EVillageProwler

@Stork said:
'Need' really has a collector specific meaning. Cool coins!

Sort of like 'literally' from a person who is prone to hyperbole and drama.

About this coin, I asked 'Friend' what is a 'fledgling', who described it (somewhat correctly) as an immature bird. So this begs the question: how does one know that the iconography is a fledgling? I mean ... it barely resembles any specific fauna let alone one of an approximate age.

BTW, @Stork, are you still being tickled by nice high-grade (but not too expensive) Anglo-Saxon type coins? There are several types from Æthelred II (of a unified England), Cnut and Edward the Confessor. And before that, there are several types of sceattas and stycas that are in the 3-figure range in quality similar to your March Baltimore impulse purchase. (And, for slightly lesser quality at less than $1K or same quality but at less than $2K, you can get very nice non-portrait pennies from many of the Kings of Wessex.)

EVP

Stork

I wonder how some of them are identified as anything...not just fledgeling vs. adult! Of course I still find Anglo-Saxons interesting, but at the moment have been getting busy with a few Japanese coins. Some lower grade, but cool varieties, keep coming up. Sixbid will be the death of me. (well, my 'discretionary' bank account anyways). But, I'm sure more will follow, as well as a few ancients.

EVillageProwler

Arrived today!

@Stork said:
I wonder how some of them are identified as anything...not just fledgeling vs. adult!

There is a book, © Anna Gannon 2003, titled The Iconography of Early Anglo-Saxon Coinage, Sixth to Eighth Centuries. One of these days I plan to go through it -- perhaps on my next vacation.

EVillageProwler

Image updated (in prior thread).

SaorAlba

@Bob13 said:
That looks pretty cool. Some of these designs I get - others look like something from Alien!

But the Alien designs on a 1400 year old coin are kind of cool though.