Aethelred II, penny

The finder of this coin asked to remain anonymous but wanted a valuation figure. It’s an Anglo-Saxon penny of Aethelred II.

This is an example of the last small cross type. On the reverse the legend reads +AELFGAR ON PERHAM, so Aelfgar is the moneyer and Wareham the mint. The coin is interesting in that the copulative is ON rather than Mo or MoN, which would be more usual for the period it was struck.

Wareham is a very rare mint for Aethelred’s last small cross type but there are several other mints that are much rarer.

Valuation

The legend is a little weak on both sides and there is some loss to the outer beaded circle. On the plus side the bust of Aethelred II stands out well. In its present condition a likely pre-sale auction estimate would be £320 – £400.

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