Kings of Wessex Edward the Elder 899-924AD Silver Penny

Kings of Wessex Edward the Elder 899-924AD Silver Penny Bust /BEORNWOLD

S1084, 22mm, 1.48g

A rare and pleasing portrait of Edward the Elder. Edge loss at 5-6 o’clock but stable and well toned.

Ex Vatican Hoard, also ex Dolman Collection. This coin comes with a previous handwritten label.

Edward the Elder (899-924): Son of Alfred the Great, Edward spent much of his reign retaking the Danelaw from its largely Scandinavian-descended inhabitants. By the end of his tenure, most of the territory had been re-absorbed and the Danish Jarls firmly subjugated by both force and diplomacy. A great soldier, his military exploits have somewhat dominated other important aspects of his reign – such as his socio-political re-organisation of Mercia and East Anglia into new administrative shires. Only recently has Edward been studied in depth, overshadowed to a degree by both his famous father and contemporary ally in the English fightback – Lady Æthelflæd of Mercia. His coinage is highly varied, including both portrait and non-portrait types as well as very rare ‘pictorial’ issues