Press Release September 2004

Spink announce the sale of unique gold penny discovered beside the river Ivel in Bedfordshire

(Press Enquiries: Emily Johnston 020 7563 4009)

Expected to fetch a new world auction record for a British Coin

THE COINEX AUCTION
Wednesday 6 October 2004 at 10am and 2pm, and Thursday 7 October at 10am

Coenwulf, King of Mercia (796-821)
Gold Penny, London
Estimate: £120,000-150,000

Spink, the specialist numismatic auction house in London, is delighted to announce the sale of an extraordinary gold coin, the first new Anglo-Saxon gold penny to come to light for almost a century. Found by an amateur metal detectorist, the gold penny is expected to fetch £120,000-150,000 and represents the most important discovery in British numismatics for many years.

This magnificent coin, with its superb workmanship and remarkable state of preservation, is unique in several respects. It is the only known gold coin in the name of Coenwulf of Mercia and the only known purpose made Anglo-Saxon gold penny of clearly regal design. In addition, it is also the only known coin with a London mint signature and to refer to the ‘wic’ of London (Anglo- Saxon trading settlement, outside the old city walls to the west of the old Roman city).

Discovered in 2001 by an amateur metal detectorist, next to a public footpath beside the River Ivel in Bedfordshire, it is now being offered for sale at Spink by agreement with the landowner. This small gold penny weighs just 4.33g and is slightly smaller than a modern ten pence coin.

Prior to the discovery of this coin only seven Anglo-Saxon gold pennies were known. Of these, six are now in the British Museum in London, and one, discovered in Switzerland in 1909, is now in the Cantonal Museum in Lausanne.

The obverse of the coin carries a finely detailed bust of Coenwulf surrounded by his title COENVVLF REX M (Coenwulf King of Mercia). The reverse shows a central floral design surrounded by the legend DE VICO LVNDONIAE [from the wic of London].

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Note to Editors:
PREVIOUS AUCTION RECORDS:
£ 170,500 – English gold coin, Crown of George III, 1817 – Spink, March 1999
£ 149,500 – English gold penny, Henry III – Spink, July 1996
£ 23,100 – Anglo-Saxon gold penny – Spink, December 1984

Auction: Wednesday 6 October at 10 am and 2pm, and Thursday 7 October at 10am
Public Viewing: Monday 4 and Tuesday 5 October, 10am -5pm
Public Enquiries: 020 7563 4000 – www.spink.com - info@spink.com
Images & Further Information: Spink Press Office on 020 7563 4009