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S.851 Ælfwald I
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Sceat of Ælfwald I, king of Northumbria 779-788
Moneyer: unknown
Mint: York (presumably)
SCBC 851
N. 182
Booth type A
Abramson 73-10
Chapman C1
O: +AΓEFDLAV (to be read 'AΓEF VALD', partly retrograde)
R: Fantastic animal facing left
Motif: 1/fantastic animal
Ælfwald I was a little-known king of Northumbria during the turbulent late 8th century. He was descended directly from Eadberht, and probably had a greater claim to the throne than his predecessor, Æthelred I. Æthelred, of the house of Moll, he (or perhaps his regent) was recorded as being harsh, and was deposed in 779; he was probably a child during his first reign and was exiled rather than put to death. Ælfwald was king for nearly a decade, though nearly nothing is known about him. He met his end through assassination, as did many of the rulers of his time. His sons were later put to death by Æthelred after his restoration.
Despite a relatively long reign, coins of Ælfwald are quite rare, they seem to be more so than Alchred, though slightly less rare than the animal type of Æthelred's first reign. His name is spelled in various ways on his coins, sometimes with a few runic letters (but not all in runic). They can be found with the beast facing left or right.
This coin appears to be from the same dies as EMC 1004.0183 and EMC 2008.0086.
Ex- Keith Chapman
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