King Cnut Penny Pointed Helmet Type Lincoln Wulfbeorn

Description

Denomination: King Cnut silver penny pointed helmet type penny

Period: Late Anglo Saxon/Viking

 Date: c1024-1030

Origin: Lincoln mint, Wulfbeorn moneyer

Condition: AEF, nicely toned, well centred and struck, with a few die breaks

Obverse: Profile bust wearing pointed helmet, left, with sceptre, legend around +CNUT REXA

Reverse: Short voided cross, united in the centre with an annulet, annulets in each quarter, outer circle surrounded by the legend +PVLBREN MO LINC

Size and Weight: 19mm, 0.98g

References: S 1158, N 787, BMC XIV

Features and Provenance:

Cnut was born around 990, his father was Sweyn Forkbeard, the Danish prince. Little is known of his childhood and indeed the name of his mother. In a later Saga he is described as ‘exceptionally tall and strong and the handsomest of men, all except for his nose which is rather hooked’. In 1013 he invades England with his father, the climax to a number of Viking raids.

Aethelred, the English king, flees the country to France and Forkbeard usurps the throne. However, Forkbeard died soon after and Cnut’s elder brother Harald Bluetooth becomes King of Denmark. Cnut is elected King of England. Quite naturally some of the English nobility disagree with this and there is a period of unrest. Once ensconced upon the throne he reigns for almost two decades and makes a pretty good fist of it.

Condition Summary. This varies with the age of coin and there are grades between

Uncirculated (U). As struck with no traces of wear

Extremely Fine (EF). Very slight traces of wear, all parts of legend etc present, visible and clear

Very Fine (VF). Some signs of wear on the higher parts of the relief, all parts of legend etc present, but maybe worn

Fine (F). Wear on the coin and parts of legend etc may be missing or not visible