Northumberland.
The coinage of Northumberland presents some remarkable peculiarities, in the size, metal and
denominations of its issues. From it alone we have Stycas, of a mixed metal containing in 100 parts,
from 60 to 70 of copper, 20 to 25 zinc, 6 to 11 silver, with some very small portions of gold, lead and tin.
How much of this mixture was the result of accident or design it is difficult to determine. We have also
silver sceattae of apparently different degrees of fineness, and we have, ultimately, pennies of the
usual form, size, weight, and fineness of Saxon money.
Ecgfrith, 670 to 685.
The first known coin of this kingdom is a Styca of copper and very remarkable for its type; on the
obverse it has a small cross with ECGFRID REX; on the reverse an irradiated cross with the word LVX,
(99), Rud. xxviii. MB. 2. This type seems to have been adopted in conformity to the character
of the king, whose name it bears, and who, if we may judge from the patronage he afforded to the
church, and the endowments he bestowed upon it, must have been deeply impressed with the value
of religious establishments, and the importance of disseminating the light of truth. The coin is
extremely rare, a few only being known, and all found at one time, in 1813 in the chapel-yard at
Hesworth in the county of Durham, inclosed in a small earthen vessel. The weight is about 19 gr.
East Angles - Ethelstan |
Table of Contents |
Northumberland - Aldfrid and Eadberht
|
