Auction Results: Ennismore collection of anglo-saxon and viking pennies – 15 September
The first review of a coin sale is of the Ennismore collection of Anglo-Saxon and Viking pennies, which was sold by Spink on 15 September. Here is Spink’s Auction Catalogue
Though described as a ‘collection’, the Ennismore sale was made up of a group of only 32 coins. The date of the earliest purchase was 2013, so the group had been brought together over a very short period. It included some exceptionally fine and rare coins, so must have been formed by a very wealthy individual. This being so, it is a great pity that the owner did not spend more time in building up a larger and more wide ranging collection. Note that a number of specimens in the collection are fairly recent finds. All the prices quoted are before the addition of the 20% buyers’ premium and any VAT that may have been payable.
The hammer prices highlight the fact that demand is strong for Anglo-Saxon and Viking rarities. However, the sale price of Lot 4 proves that the figure achieved for a coin sold at auction in 2020 will not necessarily be as high as it was when the same coin was sold six years since.
The highlights from the auction are shown below
Lot 3, Cynethryth penny of Canterbury
Cynethryth was the wife of King Offa. Light coinage, moneyer Eboa, S. 910, surface uneven, otherwise about VF, extremely rare and this specimen amongst the finest known, found in Wiltshire during 2013. £5,500
Lot 4, Aethelberht of East Anglia penny
Light coinage, no portrait, moneyer named as Lul, S. 946A, graded as almost EF, a unique type of an exceptionally rare Anglo-Saxon king, found in East Sussex on 3 March 2014, previously sold by Dix Noonan Webb (June 2014) for a hammer price of £65,000, the Spink pre-sale estimate was an optimistic £60,000-80,000 but the hammer was £55,000.
Lot 5, Eadberht Prarn of Kent penny of Canterbury
The king’s name an title in three lines on the obverse, moneyer Dudda, S. 875, very slight edge weakness, otherwise nearly EF, the best of the two coins known for Dudda, extremely rare, found in Kent during 2016, £15,000.
Lot 7, Alfred the Great penny of Winchester
Cross and lozenge type, moneyer Heahstan, S. 1058, close to ‘as struck’ condition, of great rarity in this condition and specimens seldom appear on the market, though the Watlington hoard and the undeclared Leominster hoard both contained a number of specimens, this example reported as being found in East Sussex during 2015, £30,000.
Lot 13, Edward the Elder of Wessex penny of Chester
Portrait on obverse, moneyer’s name (Dudig) in two lines on reverse, S. 1084, nearly EF, a truly superb coin, £22,000
Lot 20, Danelaw Vikings, Sihtric Caech penny, 921-27
The mint possibly Lincoln, sword on obverse, hammer on reverse, slight edge loss, otherwise nearly EF and the type unlisted for Sihtric, check out S. 1013, found in Nottinghamshire during 2016, £17,000.
Lot 21, Hiberno-Norse Vikings of York, Anlaf Guthfrithsson penny
Raven type, moneyer Aethelferth, EF, S. 1019, the type very rare and this specimen possibly the finest known, £25,000.
Lot 25, Hiberno-Norse Vikings of York, Regnald Guthfrithsson penny
Triquetra type, moneyer Branting, S. 1024, a new moneyer and the only complete coin known for the type, good VF, one of only four known examples, £24,000.
Lot 31, Harthacnut penny of Huntingdon
Arm and sceptre type, moneyer Wulfwine, S. 1168, well struck and with lustrous surfaces, very rare, £5,500.