Description
Aethelred II (978-1016), Penny, Long cross type (c.997-1003), Rochester mint, moneyer Eadwerd, bare headed bust left, pellet behind, legend commences from bottom left +ÆĐELRÆD REX ΛNGLOX. Rev, long voided cross with tri-crescent terminals, pellet at centre, reads +EΛDPERD MΩO ROFE, 19.5mm, 1.69g (S.1151; N.774; BMC IVa; SCBI 7 [Copenhagen], 1060, same dies). Light subtle cabinet toning with lighter shades of yellow in the fields, on a symmetrical flan with the toothed borders on display both sides. Legends clear and quickly legible, portrait, drapery bars all well-defined with the only softness in parts of the hair, some peckmarks synonymous with the type. Struck in a notably scarce mint town, only ten or so recorded within the auction archives since 1999. Very fine, scarce, in good weight.
The Rochester mint, situated on a port on the River Medway, thirty miles south east of London, a church had first been erected here by Aethelberht in 604. Recognised as one of the main mints throughout the first half of the 9th century right the way through to Henry I’s reign (1100-35). Ecgberht had seemingly granted the Bishop the freedom to mint coinage, the Danes had carried out a great slaughter in the town in 839, it went under further attack at the hands of Aethelred II in 1986. The Town found itself besieged during the rebellion of Bishop Odo in 1088 and levelled by fire in the year of 1130. Lastly it was taken by King John in 1215 during the civil war.
When leafing through the Anglo Saxon chronicle, one can see Rochester does feature; ‘siege of the Danes, raised by King Aelfred, the Bishopric laid to waste by King Aethelred, castle of, besieged by William II ,and nearly burnt-cathedral consecrated.’ etc
See ‘The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: according to the several original authorities’ vol 2, translation, edited Benjamin Thorpe, pp 55, 66, 103, 193. Cambridge University Press (Cambridge Library Collection).
‘English Hammered Coinage : vol 1’ J. J. North, Rochester, Kent, pp 241
