Penny of Cuthred
This rather attractive Anglo-Saxon penny was unearthed recently by Peter Cross, who wanted to know what it might be worth.
The penny was struck for Cuthred, who ruled over the Kingdom of Kent from AD 798 to 807. On the obverse is a carefully produced bust of Cuthred and a legend that reads + CVDRED REX CANT. Within the inner circle on the reverse is a cross pommee over a cross pattee and the surrounding legend reads +VERHEARD MONETA. Therefore, this penny was struck at Canterbury and a moneyer named Werheard was responsible for its issue.
In J. J. North’s English Hammered Coinage the type is listed as number 211. In the Standard Catalogue a specimen is illustrated as number 877. Â
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Valuation
A couple of similar coins of Cuthred have recently been sold at auction, both graded as VF and both with slight edge defects. One sold for £2,600 and the other for £2,400.
Peter’s penny has been struck with care by neatly produced dies and it would grade VF. Unfortunately, it has an edge chip at the top of the obverse and this would have a significant impact on its possible sale price. In my opinion it is better than the pair of coins mentioned above, so it might sell at auction for around £2,800. The edge chip could be said to be an expensive defect, for without it the coin could have sold for close to £4,000.
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