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Auction: 16019 - The Academic Collection of Lord Stewartby: English Coins part 1, Anglo-Saxon and Norman Coins
Lot: 276

Edward the Confessor (1042-66), Penny, 0.96g, Radiate/Small Cross type, Wallingford (over Reading), Brihtric, bust left wearing radiate crown, rev. +BRIHTRIC ON PELIN, small cross pattÉe (N816; S1173), broken and repaired, otherwise very fine. Extremely rare with the mint signature overcut. This coin is attributed by others to Reading with the mint signature overcut on that of Wallingford. See below

PROVENANCE:
P Spink 1994
W J Conte, CNG 60, 22 May 2002, lot 2256

An article by Antony Freeman in the Numismatic Circular for July 1984 pp.179-180 proposed that this coin uses a reverse die previously at Wallingford with the mint signature PELIN overcut to make the mint signature REDN for Reading. This cataloguer is of the opinion that the mint signature is overcut, but that it should be the other way round. The reasoning for this is as follows.

The letters PELIN are in considerably higher relief than either the moneyer’s name or the underlying legend giving the Reading attribution. Whilst the argument for the tail of the R being an addition is a reasonable one, the very low relief of the underlying curve purporting to be the top of a D would not be expected if the signature was to be changed to give this letter. The mint signature was a very important feature of the coinage as it identified the moneyer responsible. If the mint signature was changed, you would expect the revised version to be prominent enough to cover up or obliterate the old one. This it does. The fact that the tail of the R is still present does not change the fact that the P portion of the R is still in higher relief than the wedge, even after wear. It is therefore my opinion that the very weak curve seen in the gap between the top of the L and I is a remnant from the previous die reading which was changed, possibly on account of a delay opening the new mint .

Reading was one of a number of mints set up in the early years of this reign. Many of them were small, supporting only a single moneyer, such as Bedwyn, Horndon, Berkeley or Pershore. The name on the two confidently attributed Reading coins is Corff, presumably the person of the same name striking at London, and it would be surprising in my view to expect a second moneyer at this mint. Brihtric is an established moneyer at Wallingford for this issue. If this argument prevails, the number of coins attributed to Reading reduces from three to two.

This rare and interesting example of a mint name overstruck warrants further research.

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Estimate
£1,500 to £2,000