Anglo Saxon Coin Set of 3 Coins

Product Description: This Anglo Saxon Coin Set of 3 Coins has reproduction coins of the Anglo Saxon’s attached to the front of a card. The coins are a Coenwulf gold penny, Alfred “The Great” penny and a Harold II penny. Each was moulded from an original coin and is made from lead-free pewter, with the gold penny being 22ct gold plated. The coins are double-sided and are stuck onto the information card. The coin set has an image of Alfred “The Great” on the front and historical information about the Anglo Saxons and their coinage on the reverse.

Information: The Anglo-Saxon period in Britain spans approximately the six centuries from 410 - 1066AD. It was a time of war with the breaking up of Roman Britannia into several separate kingdoms, of religious conversion and after 793, when the Vikings raided Lindisfarne Monastery, the history of the Anglo-Saxons becomes entangled with that of new invaders, the Vikings.

Coenwulf was King of Mercia, East Anglia and Kent, making him ruler of most of England. This gold coin is one of only eight gold British coins known from the period AD 700-1250. It is the earliest of the gold coins which we can be certain was intended for use as regular currency at home and abroad. The coin refers to London as a vicus, or trading centre and gives Coenwulf’s name and title with his image shown as a Roman Emperor.

Alfred defended the kingdom against the Vikings, becoming as a result the only English monarch to be awarded the epithet “the Great” by his people. Alfred was the first King of Wessex to style himself “King of England”.

Harold II had himself crowned in Westminster Abbey on 6 January 1066. In September the army of Harald Hardrada of Norway invaded England and was defeated by Harold’s army at the Battle of Stamford Bridge near York. Meanwhile the Norman army of William, Duke of Normandy, landed on the south coast near Hastings. Harold’s army met that of William’s in battle and lost with Harold being killed by an arrow in his eye. Thus ended Saxon rule in England.