Anglo-Saxon silver coins

 

Two Anglo-Saxon silver pennies of Aethelred II (Ethelred the Unready), who reigned 978-1016, and which were minted at Huntingdon by the moneyer, Aelfric during the period 997 – 1003.

The obverse (head) side of the coin reads: AEDELRED REX ANGLO and shows a bare headed bust of the King. The reverse (tails) side reads: AEL/FRIC/MO/NVNT

Aethelred was known as the ‘unready’ because he was seen as a weak king ‘without counsel’, who was unable to withstand multiple Viking invasions.

The coins were discovered by a local metal detectorist and purchased through the National Treasure Scheme.