S.859 Ælfwald II (Cutheard)

Sceat of Ælfwald II, king of Northumbria 806-808
Moneyer: Cutheard
Mint: York (presumably)
S. 859
Phase Ia
Abramson 79-10
O: +FΓEVAΓDVS
R: CVDhEART
Motif: 1/1

This rare coin, in the name of "Ælfwald" (with the Æ runic) most likely belongs to the short and poorly documented reign of Ælfwald II, who gets a short passage in Roger of Wendover's "Flores Historiarum" and a few other semi-contemporary pieces. He succeeded Eardwulf, and only reigned 2 years. Eardwulf may have had a second reign following this, or the throne may have passed to Eardwulf's son Eanred.

There has been some debate as to whether this rare issue belongs to the first (779-788) or second king (806-808) named Ælfwald. The most conclusive evidence seems to be the style of the name of the moneyer Cutheard. Cutheard coined for Æthelred I, Eardwulf, and Eanred. On coins of Æthelred, his name is spelled "CVDHEARD", on Eardwulf it is spelled "CVDHEARD" or "CVDhEART", and on Eanred it is spelled "CVDHARD". On all coins of Ælfwald, the name is spelled "CVDhEART". This supports that the coins are more likely to be semi-contemporary to coins of Eardwulf, during whose reign the spelling seems to have changed. This fits better with an assignment to the second Ælfwald. For more info, see Blackburn & Gillis, "A second coin of Eardwulf and the attribution of the moneyer coins of King Ælfwald" in BNJ 67.

Coins of Ælfwald II are very rare, with 11 documented on the Early Medieval Corpus, and a handful of others which have not been listed, such as this one. Besides Cutheard, there are 2 coins of Ælfwald by the moneyer Cuthgils, who also coined for Æthelred I, although these are probably more appropriately assigned to the earlier Ælfwald I.

Ex- Silbury Coins