The ‘Millennium’ Hoard of Æthelred II Pennies and cut Halfpence from Suffolk

Æthelred II (978-1016), Small CRVX type, Malmesbury, Eadred, eadred m¯o mal[?], 0.99g/4h (BEH – but note 3083; N 770 var.; S 1149). Good very fine, very rare
£600-£800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The ‘Millennium’ Hoard of Æthelred II Pennies and cut Halfpence from Suffolk.

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Since most known specimens read Ealdred, this may be an unpublished variety of the moneyer’s name, although Eadred and Ealdred are normally considered to be different names. The mint reading is normally mald and this coin has an uncertain letter or symbol after mal. Given the predominance of eastern mints in the hoard, making Malmesbury a geographical outlier, in this case mal might possibly represent Maldon in Essex, although on the coinage this is normally spelt mæl with an æ diphthong