Aethelstan 924-939AD Silver Penny Small Cross both sides Chester / Maeldomen

Aethelstan 924-939AD Silver Penny Small Cross both sides. Chester mint, Moneyer Maeldomen.

‘+AETHELSTAN REX TO BRI’ around cross / ‘+MAELDOMEN MO LEGF’ around cross.

S1093, 24mm, 1.59g

An exceptional coin, large flan, sharp strike, good metal and wonderful pedigree back to SNC 10 in June 1942.

This coin comes with a previous handwritten label and was previously sold in the Spink Numismatic Circular in June 1942 (Edition 10).

Æthelstan (924-937): Regarded by some as the very best of all the English Kings (even better than Alfred), Æthelstan’s achievements draw on aspects of both his father and grandfather’s rule. In addition to being a capable military commander and well-able to defend the realm, he was also a statesman of note. Securing his borders with Wales via clever diplomacy and making supreme efforts to ensure that Scandinavian-aligned Northumbria would not break away from England, he was also deeply concerned with undertaking sweeping legal reforms. A shrewd man in matters fiscal, he promoted regional trade centres, re-organised aspects of the minting process and struck coins bearing his name that declared him ‘King of All Britain’ – a proud but perhaps not totally inaccurate boast. In 937, he achieved a stunning victory when he defeated a joint invasion force of Dublin Norse and Scottish at the Battle of Brunanburgh – though he died only a few years later.