Kings of Wessex Aethelberht AD 858-865 Silver Penny

Kings of Wessex Aethelberht AD 858-865 Silver Penny

Bust right / Voided Long Cross

Mostly minted in Canterbury but also minted in Rochester

S1053; 21mm, 0.97g

Well struck in good silver with an even, dark tone, a couple of small edge chips.

Comes with previous collectors label.

Æthelberht (860-865) – The third son of Æthelwulf, much like his father, Æthelberht began his royal career as the sub-king of Kent under his brother Æthelbald. Numismatic evidence suggests that he enjoyed a great deal of independence – striking coins in his own name, which perhaps infers a more equal relationship with his older brother. Unlike his father and brothers, Æthelberht never appointed his own sub-kings – and during his rule Wessex was governed as a single entity for the first time in some thirty years.