Edward the Confessor

[Arminius]

Hello,

is someone more skilled than me to read the moneyer and mint of this old English penny:

Great Britain. Kings of All England, Edward the Confessor, 1042-1066 AD.,
AR Penny (17-18 mm / 1,00 g), expanding cross type, light issue.
Obv.: + EDPE - RD RE , diademed bust of Edward left, with sceptre with cross pommée.
Rev.: [DRVNNVSE?] ON [DVR?] , expanding cross with circle in center, pellet in one angle of cross.

... or can even provide a reference?

(so far no similar dies on coinarchieves world coins database)


Thanks

[AlexB]

Hi

Its North 820 but there are plenty of these around from multiple mints with minor differences in execution (and that before you look at North 821 and 822 which are deemed to have a different type portrait taken from other issues). If you could increase contrast (b/w?) maybe could get moneyer or mint or both.

I bet its London mint with the pellet in angle - York has annulets, in which case the legend would XXX on LVND if that helps.

Brgds

Alex

[Arminius]

Next attempt with cleaned coin and magic-black-distant-background-silver-coin-photo-improvement-technology:

I think i might see:

Obv.: EDPA - RD REX
Rev.: + BRVNHVSE ON COLTR (NC and TR ligate?)

Had there been a moneyer Bruno of Colchester ?

Regards

[khingila]

North (English Hammered Coins, Vol. 1, p. 183) lists a "Brunhyse" striking for Edward the Confessor at Colchester.

[Arminius]

Thanks Dave, i think you fixed it !

[Merinda]

Lockett collection included an example reading BRVNHYSE ON COLE (lot 813 part), which is how I would read your coin. Listed by Freeman as an example of the heavy coinage (number 25 for Colchester in his 1985 BAR publication "The Moneyer and the Mint in the reign of Edward the Confessor, 1042-1066)

Yours however is in the light coinage issue weight range. The difference in weight indicated by North is 18 grains (= about 1.2 g) for the light coinage and 27 grains (= 1.75 g) for the heavy coinage issue

Regards

Allan

[Arminius]

Thanks Alan,

"BRVNHYSE ON COLE" is the better explanation for the shapes i see on the reverse.

It´s the same as with the Greec letters- you have to get experienced before cou can combine the words. So i have to collect more of these.

What is the reason for the two weight standards?


brgds

A.

[Merinda]

Hi Arminius

I have not come across anything specific concerning the two apparent weight standards for this issue.

At this time, the coinage type was changed regularly, perhaps as a means to earn money for the crown via the issuing of new dies to the moneyers. And in general, the weight of a particular type decreased with time over the duration of the type - thus meaning increased profit for the moneyer ... maybe this issue was just an extreme case of this change in weight, maybe there was a shortage of silver, or a special levy on moneyers that required them to more drastically reduce the weight ... will see if I can find anything relating to this type and let you know!

Regards

Allan