Coenwlf, 796 to 818.
During the twenty-two years which this king reigned, pennies were struck with a great variety of
types, in evident imitation of those of Offa, but of very much inferior workmanship. In general they
bear the head of the king, but not always. The letter Y, the initial of his kingdom, accompanies,
perhaps invariably, his title upon the obverse. The reverse contains the names of his moneyers, but
without any place of mintage. About forty of their names are known. The types of the reverses are--
- Cross crosslet, Rud. vi. 1. 2. 3. MB. 3.
- Ditto, with a pellet, &c. in each angle, f. 4. 14.
- Plain cross with a wedge, or an oval in each angle, f. 5. 22. D. 24. MB. 1.
- Cross moline with, or without, one or more pellets in each angle, f. 7. 8. 9. 10. MB. 1.
- Cross, each limp terminating like a roman Y, with a pellet in each angle, f. 13.
- Cross botone, with a wedge in each angle (70) Rud. vi. 20. MB. 2.
- Cross botone upon cross crosslet, f. 21. MB. 1.
- Cross botone upon a quatrefoil, a pellet in each angle. (71) MB. 1.
- Four crescents back to back, Rud. vi. 15.
- Ditto, between them a small cross, with a wedge opposite each limb (72) LUSCOMBE.
- The letter A, Rud. vi. 6.
- Small square, inclosing a pellet, with branches from the sides and angles (73) Rud. vi. 11. 12.
MB. 5. This is probably the least rare type.
- L V L and a cross in 4 ovals between the angles of a cross terminating in large triangular
compartments (74) Rud. vi. 16. 17. MB. 3.
- The same objectts, in a quatrefoil, with a rosette in each spandril somewhat resembling Eadvald
(60) f. 18.
- Square compartment inclosing five wedges or dots placed crosswise, and having a cross projecting
from each angle, f. 19. C. 6. This last rev. is identical with that of Ceolwlf, Rud. C. 8.
MB. 1.
- Square containing a cross, within the inner circle; pellets in every vacancy and between the letters
of the legend, f. 23. MB. 1. All the above have the king's head upon the obverse.
- Others have for obverse the Saxon letter Y. Rev. the moneyer's name between the arms of a
tribrach (75) Rud. vii. 24, 25, 26, 27, MB. 6.
- Others have the king's name written across the field, with the tribrach reverse, Rud. xxix. 15.
- With the moneyer's name similarly written across the reverse, Rud. vii. 28. xxix. 16. MB. 1.
Though his coins are numerous, each type is rare.
Mercia - Egcberht |
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Mercia - Ceolwlf
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