I've posted pictures of the majority of my Northumbrian and other medieval coins at Forumancientcoins' gallery. Hope they don't mind that they are not "ancient."
Nap - those aren't all from Northumbria!!! I don't need the competition.
NiceCurrency - Northumbria wasn't out in the sticks. At one point, it was one of the major centers of Christianity, and the greatest center of Anglo-Saxon culture and power (prior to their decline). As for the names, they're from the same linguistic family as the Vikings: Old English and Old Norse are very closely related, both barely removed from the runic languages of proto-Germanic. In fact, you'll find runic script on many of the "primary" period Anglo-Saxon sceattas. The OE/proto-Germanic runic script looks like Dwarvish in Tolkien's LoTR/Midlde-Earth fantasy world.
<< <i>I don't imagine they mind, I've seen paper money in people's galleries, and forvm sells medieval as well as modern coinage >>
Good to know. I like their system, it's easy to organize.
<< <i>northumbria was basically out in the sticks right? and it was taken over by vikings? that's why we see strange names like Redwulf? >>
Northumbria was a major English power well into the 8th century. Besides Venerable Bede, whose texts are still read today, Northumbria produced such luminaries as Alcuin, a religious scholar who trained under Bede's colleague Archbishop Ecgberht of York, and later was a major figure in Charlemagne's court.
The downfall of Northumbria is a more complex situation which has not really been studied by scholars, mostly because of the lack of sources. Internal strife is partly to blame, with usurpation and murder a fairly common occurrence. Weak monarchs, with no aptitude for waging war, are also blamed. A father-son duo of Aethelwald Moll and Aethelred I usurped power, decimated the legitimate royal family and nobility, and were tyrants to their own people. Church leaders often played monarch and claimant against each other, trying to hedge their bets and pick the winner, presumably for selfish reason. All of this horrified Alcuin, who ended up leaving the land of his people for the Frankish court, years before the Viking raid.
The attack at Lindesfarne in 793 was, of course, a major setback for Northumbria. Further raiding took place over the next century, before the final fall of York in 866. At this point, the kingdom of Northumbria ceased to be and more or less became a Danish puppet state. The rest is of course history, but there is a large blank area between 793 and 866, during which almost no primary sources exist, and those that do have nothing good to say about Northumbria. However there must have been some redeeming qualities: despite the chaos of the last 8th century, the reign of Eanred was somewhat peaceful (although he did submit authority to Ecgberht of Wessex, an arrangement that seemed to work out well for both kingdoms), the Northumbrians fought off the Viking scourge for almost a century (without paying them off as later England would), and a robust coinage was created which survives to this day in great number.
Will history ever illuminate this dimly lit, poorly remembered period? Probably not. It goes without saying that our best historical evidence of anything at all involving this time period is our numismatic finds.
<< <i>Nap - those aren't all from Northumbria!!! I don't need the competition. >>
Don't worry EVP, I dabble in other Anglo-Saxon, but I won't be a competitor for portrait Wessex pennies, or any rare Mercian like Wiglaf. I certainly won't be competing next week against the exceptionally rare Aethelberht of East Anglia penny at DNW. Unless I hit MegaMillions of course.
Here is some information on Northumbrian numismatics:
Regal series:
Aldfrith 685-704: minted sceats depicting his name, with a fantastic beast on the reverse (maybe a dragon), his coins are scarce but there are probably >50 known
Eadberht 737-758: minted sceats depicting his name, with a fantastic beast on the reverse. His coins are relatively common, probably a few hundred known, with various designs. Also issued coins with his brother Ecgberht, the archbishop of York, these feature a standing image of Ecgberht and are fairly scarce, probably ~100 known.
Aethelwald Moll 759-765: minted sceats with his son the future Aethelred I and also with Ecgberht, the archbishop of York. These are exceedingly rare, I think 4 or 5 known.
Alchred 765-774: minted sceats depicting his name, with a fantastic beast on the reverse. His coins are scarce, probably ~50-75 known. Also issued coins with Ecgberht, the archbishop of York, who died in 766, these are rare, probably <20 known.
Aethelred I (first reign) 774-779: minted sceats depicting his name, with a fantastic beast on the reverse. His coins are extremely rare, probably <20 known.
Aelfwald I 779-788: minted sceats depicting his name, with a fantastic beast on the reverse. His coins are extremely rare, probably ~25 known.
Aethelred I (second reign) 790-796: minted sceats depicting his name, with a moneyer's name on the reverse. These coins are much more common than the previous few issues, with probably a few hundred known. Also issued coins with Eanbald I, the archbishop of York, these are rare, probably <30 known.
Eardwulf 796-806, 808-810: minted sceats depicting his name, with a moneyer's name on the reverse. These coins are extremely rare, I believe ~8 known.
Aelfwald II 806-808: minted sceats depicting his name, with a moneyer's name on the reverse. These coins are quite rare, probably <25 known.
Eanred 810-841: minted sceats and stycas depicting his name, with a moneyer's name on the reverse. These coins are substantially more common, with thousands known, although some individual moneyers are rare.
Aethelred II (first reign) 841-844: minted stycas depicting his name, with a moneyer's name on the reverse. These coins are common, with thousands known.
Redwulf 844: minted stycas depicting his name, with a moneyer's name on the reverse. These coins are scarce, with a few hundred known.
Aethelred II (second reign) 844-849: minted stycas depicting his name, with a moneyer's name on the reverse. These coins are common, with thousands known.
Osberht 849-867: minted stycas depicting his name, with a moneyer's name on the reverse. These coins are scarce, with a few hundred known
Coinage for the kings of Northumbria ceased after the Viking conquest of York.
Archbishops of York:
Ecgberht 735-766: minted sceats with kings Eadberht, Aethelwald Moll, and Alchred, as mentioned above.
Eanbald I 780-796: minted sceats with king Aethelred I, as mentioned above.
Eanbald II 796-c.830: minted sceats depicting his name, with a moneyer's name on the reverse. These coins are scarce, with maybe a few hundred known.
Wigmund 837-854: minted stycas depicting his name, with a moneyer's name on the reverse. These coins are common, with hundreds known
Wulfhere 854-900: minted stycas depicting his name, with a moneyer's name on the reverse. These coins are scarce, with maybe 100-200 known.
Nap, I really liked your coins. There are a lot of coins there that I have thought about purchasing in lesser (and therefore cheaper) grades. I really am more and more attracted to the medieval coins of England but occasionally I throw a bid here and there on some French and Spanish stuff too. I do not know enough about the coins in general to take any sort of serious plunge but I sure like looking at them and would love to add an Aethelred or something super cool like that to my English monarchs penny collection.
<< <i>Nap - those aren't all from Northumbria!!! I don't need the competition. >>
Don't worry EVP, I dabble in other Anglo-Saxon, but I won't be a competitor for portrait Wessex pennies, or any rare Mercian like Wiglaf. I certainly won't be competing next week against the exceptionally rare Aethelberht of East Anglia penny at DNW. Unless I hit MegaMillions of course. >>
<< <i>Nap - those aren't all from Northumbria!!! I don't need the competition. >>
Don't worry EVP, I dabble in other Anglo-Saxon, but I won't be a competitor for portrait Wessex pennies, or any rare Mercian like Wiglaf. I certainly won't be competing next week against the exceptionally rare Aethelberht of East Anglia penny at DNW. Unless I hit MegaMillions of course. >>
Would not surprise me if the BM tries to purchase. Although they already own one of the "common type" coins of Aethelberht (common = 3 known), so it may not be that high on their priorities.
<< <i>Nap - those aren't all from Northumbria!!! I don't need the competition. >>
I certainly won't be competing next week against the exceptionally rare Aethelberht of East Anglia penny at DNW. Unless I hit MegaMillions of course. >>
Kind of a stretch that poor Æthelberht "losing his head" and titling himself 'Rex' was the key event leading to his murder (at his wedding, orchestrated by his would-be mother-in-law no less, sounds like something out of "Game of Thrones"). But you never know, Æthelberht certainly shouldn't have slighted Offa, the most powerful Anglo-Saxon leader of his day.
I have added some more coins and re-imaged a few, mostly from Northumbria. I am about halfway done with the set, although I'm missing some of the ultra-rare examples.
Great coins, and a great resource here as well - the commentary on each king and availability of coins is very useful. My wife has been encouraging me to get a medieval coin so I've bookmarked this thread
Learn about our world's shared history told through the first millennium of coinage: Colosseo Collection
Just stumbled across this thread ... and spent an hour looking through Nap's collection that's linked in the first post. If you have time, I encourage you to go have a look.
Interesting to look back on where I was three years ago. I have come a bit closer to completion of the Northumbrian kings now but overall the Anglo-Saxon series is still a bear. It's been quite fun though, and I look forward to playing with it for the forseeable future.
@Nap said:
I've posted pictures of the majority of my Northumbrian and other medieval coins at Forumancientcoins' gallery. Hope they don't mind that they are not "ancient."
Link here
Will be adding information about the individual issues in the near future.
I know this is old, but I want to say all coins are welcome in the gallery. Antiquities and artifacts too.
The only thing I have ever removed from the galleries was a modern gun collection. I actually liked looking at it but it was just not the right place for it.
Comments
northumbria was basically out in the sticks right? and it was taken over by vikings? that's why we see strange names like Redwulf?
https://www.civitasgalleries.com
New coins listed monthly!
Josh Moran
CIVITAS Galleries, Ltd.
NiceCurrency - Northumbria wasn't out in the sticks. At one point, it was one of the major centers of Christianity, and the greatest center of Anglo-Saxon culture and power (prior to their decline). As for the names, they're from the same linguistic family as the Vikings: Old English and Old Norse are very closely related, both barely removed from the runic languages of proto-Germanic. In fact, you'll find runic script on many of the "primary" period Anglo-Saxon sceattas. The OE/proto-Germanic runic script looks like Dwarvish in Tolkien's LoTR/Midlde-Earth fantasy world.
EVP
How does one get a hater to stop hating?
I can be reached at evillageprowler@gmail.com
<< <i>I don't imagine they mind, I've seen paper money in people's galleries, and forvm sells medieval as well as modern coinage >>
Good to know. I like their system, it's easy to organize.
<< <i>northumbria was basically out in the sticks right? and it was taken over by vikings? that's why we see strange names like Redwulf? >>
Northumbria was a major English power well into the 8th century. Besides Venerable Bede, whose texts are still read today, Northumbria produced such luminaries as Alcuin, a religious scholar who trained under Bede's colleague Archbishop Ecgberht of York, and later was a major figure in Charlemagne's court.
The downfall of Northumbria is a more complex situation which has not really been studied by scholars, mostly because of the lack of sources. Internal strife is partly to blame, with usurpation and murder a fairly common occurrence. Weak monarchs, with no aptitude for waging war, are also blamed. A father-son duo of Aethelwald Moll and Aethelred I usurped power, decimated the legitimate royal family and nobility, and were tyrants to their own people. Church leaders often played monarch and claimant against each other, trying to hedge their bets and pick the winner, presumably for selfish reason. All of this horrified Alcuin, who ended up leaving the land of his people for the Frankish court, years before the Viking raid.
The attack at Lindesfarne in 793 was, of course, a major setback for Northumbria. Further raiding took place over the next century, before the final fall of York in 866. At this point, the kingdom of Northumbria ceased to be and more or less became a Danish puppet state. The rest is of course history, but there is a large blank area between 793 and 866, during which almost no primary sources exist, and those that do have nothing good to say about Northumbria. However there must have been some redeeming qualities: despite the chaos of the last 8th century, the reign of Eanred was somewhat peaceful (although he did submit authority to Ecgberht of Wessex, an arrangement that seemed to work out well for both kingdoms), the Northumbrians fought off the Viking scourge for almost a century (without paying them off as later England would), and a robust coinage was created which survives to this day in great number.
Will history ever illuminate this dimly lit, poorly remembered period? Probably not. It goes without saying that our best historical evidence of anything at all involving this time period is our numismatic finds.
<< <i>Nap - those aren't all from Northumbria!!! I don't need the competition.
Don't worry EVP, I dabble in other Anglo-Saxon, but I won't be a competitor for portrait Wessex pennies, or any rare Mercian like Wiglaf. I certainly won't be competing next week against the exceptionally rare Aethelberht of East Anglia penny at DNW. Unless I hit MegaMillions of course.
Regal series:
Aldfrith 685-704: minted sceats depicting his name, with a fantastic beast on the reverse (maybe a dragon), his coins are scarce but there are probably >50 known
Eadberht 737-758: minted sceats depicting his name, with a fantastic beast on the reverse. His coins are relatively common, probably a few hundred known, with various designs. Also issued coins with his brother Ecgberht, the archbishop of York, these feature a standing image of Ecgberht and are fairly scarce, probably ~100 known.
Aethelwald Moll 759-765: minted sceats with his son the future Aethelred I and also with Ecgberht, the archbishop of York. These are exceedingly rare, I think 4 or 5 known.
Alchred 765-774: minted sceats depicting his name, with a fantastic beast on the reverse. His coins are scarce, probably ~50-75 known. Also issued coins with Ecgberht, the archbishop of York, who died in 766, these are rare, probably <20 known.
Aethelred I (first reign) 774-779: minted sceats depicting his name, with a fantastic beast on the reverse. His coins are extremely rare, probably <20 known.
Aelfwald I 779-788: minted sceats depicting his name, with a fantastic beast on the reverse. His coins are extremely rare, probably ~25 known.
Aethelred I (second reign) 790-796: minted sceats depicting his name, with a moneyer's name on the reverse. These coins are much more common than the previous few issues, with probably a few hundred known. Also issued coins with Eanbald I, the archbishop of York, these are rare, probably <30 known.
Eardwulf 796-806, 808-810: minted sceats depicting his name, with a moneyer's name on the reverse. These coins are extremely rare, I believe ~8 known.
Aelfwald II 806-808: minted sceats depicting his name, with a moneyer's name on the reverse. These coins are quite rare, probably <25 known.
Eanred 810-841: minted sceats and stycas depicting his name, with a moneyer's name on the reverse. These coins are substantially more common, with thousands known, although some individual moneyers are rare.
Aethelred II (first reign) 841-844: minted stycas depicting his name, with a moneyer's name on the reverse. These coins are common, with thousands known.
Redwulf 844: minted stycas depicting his name, with a moneyer's name on the reverse. These coins are scarce, with a few hundred known.
Aethelred II (second reign) 844-849: minted stycas depicting his name, with a moneyer's name on the reverse. These coins are common, with thousands known.
Osberht 849-867: minted stycas depicting his name, with a moneyer's name on the reverse. These coins are scarce, with a few hundred known
Coinage for the kings of Northumbria ceased after the Viking conquest of York.
Archbishops of York:
Ecgberht 735-766: minted sceats with kings Eadberht, Aethelwald Moll, and Alchred, as mentioned above.
Eanbald I 780-796: minted sceats with king Aethelred I, as mentioned above.
Eanbald II 796-c.830: minted sceats depicting his name, with a moneyer's name on the reverse. These coins are scarce, with maybe a few hundred known.
Wigmund 837-854: minted stycas depicting his name, with a moneyer's name on the reverse. These coins are common, with hundreds known
Wulfhere 854-900: minted stycas depicting his name, with a moneyer's name on the reverse. These coins are scarce, with maybe 100-200 known.
Here is some history on the Kingdom of Northumbria
Very nice work.
<< <i>
<< <i>Nap - those aren't all from Northumbria!!! I don't need the competition.
Don't worry EVP, I dabble in other Anglo-Saxon, but I won't be a competitor for portrait Wessex pennies, or any rare Mercian like Wiglaf. I certainly won't be competing next week against the exceptionally rare Aethelberht of East Anglia penny at DNW. Unless I hit MegaMillions of course. >>
Unique penny
Will the BMC bid on it, since it's unique?
How does one get a hater to stop hating?
I can be reached at evillageprowler@gmail.com
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>Nap - those aren't all from Northumbria!!! I don't need the competition.
Don't worry EVP, I dabble in other Anglo-Saxon, but I won't be a competitor for portrait Wessex pennies, or any rare Mercian like Wiglaf. I certainly won't be competing next week against the exceptionally rare Aethelberht of East Anglia penny at DNW. Unless I hit MegaMillions of course. >>
Unique penny
Will the BMC bid on it, since it's unique? >>
Would not surprise me if the BM tries to purchase. Although they already own one of the "common type" coins of Aethelberht (common = 3 known), so it may not be that high on their priorities.
Taler Custom Set
Ancient Custom Set
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>Nap - those aren't all from Northumbria!!! I don't need the competition.
I certainly won't be competing next week against the exceptionally rare Aethelberht of East Anglia penny at DNW. Unless I hit MegaMillions of course. >>
Unique penny
Will the BMC bid on it, since it's unique? >>
It sold for £65000 (+commission) to an internet bidder.
Estimate was £15000-20000.
<< <i>Quite an impressive collection.
I like the display and write ups. Very nice!
>>
Thank you. The Northumbrian set is about 40% complete, though some of the rarer sceats will remain beyond my grasp for the foreseeable future.
(No, I didn't win it!)
How does one get a hater to stop hating?
I can be reached at evillageprowler@gmail.com
<< <i>That penny sold for around $120k. I wonder if they'd allow me to pay $2k/mo for the next five years.
(No, I didn't win it!) >>
Cute article about the Æthelberht coin:
The coin that may have led to murder
Kind of a stretch that poor Æthelberht "losing his head" and titling himself 'Rex' was the key event leading to his murder (at his wedding, orchestrated by his would-be mother-in-law no less, sounds like something out of "Game of Thrones"). But you never know, Æthelberht certainly shouldn't have slighted Offa, the most powerful Anglo-Saxon leader of his day.
Link here
Just stumbled across this thread ... and spent an hour looking through Nap's collection that's linked in the first post. If you have time, I encourage you to go have a look.
My Type Set
Thanks @PBRat
Interesting to look back on where I was three years ago. I have come a bit closer to completion of the Northumbrian kings now but overall the Anglo-Saxon series is still a bear. It's been quite fun though, and I look forward to playing with it for the forseeable future.
I know this is old, but I want to say all coins are welcome in the gallery. Antiquities and artifacts too.
The only thing I have ever removed from the galleries was a modern gun collection. I actually liked looking at it but it was just not the right place for it.
Joe Sermarini forumancientcoins.com