British and World Coins

Edward the Confessor (1042-1066), Penny, PACX type, Milborne Port, Swetric, spetric on myle (my ligate, round e), 1.03g/6h (Freeman –; BMC –; N 813; S 1171). Chipped, otherwise about very fine, apparently the only known specimen £1,200-1,500

Provenance: Found in Hertfordshire 2007.

Until the discovery of this coin, Milborne Port, Somerset was unknown for the reign of Edward the Confessor. A Sovereign type penny (BMC 1079) reported to be of this mint has in fact had the legend altered. Coins of Milborne Port are extremely rare for any reign and are only known from approximately 13 specimens in total. Dolley (BNJ 29, p. 61) lists eight coins of Æthelred II and five of Cnut, the latter dating to the 1030s. Swetric is a known moneyer for Bedford in the PACX issue, another example of Anglo-Saxon moneyers apparently operating at mints a long way apart