EXTREMELY RARE SILVER PENNY OF THE BOY KING EDWARD THE MARTYR FOUND ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT

An extremely rare Silver penny of the boy king Edward the Martyr - the teenager who ruled Saxon Britain in the 10th century – has been found on the Isle of Wight and is estimated to fetch £5,000-7,000 when it is sold in an online/ live auction at Dix Noonan Webb, the international coins, medals, banknotes and jewellery specialists in their sale of Coins on Wednesday, April 22, 2020 at 10am on their website www.DNW.co.uk.

Due to the current COVID 19 situation, there will be no physical viewing of the auction. Prospective bidders are encouraged to consult DNW’s website (www.dnw.co.uk) where all lots are illustrated and further condition reports can be requested if required. Customers are able to bid online (DNW make no additional charge for this service) or leave commission bids prior to the auction. Please note that the situation with regards to dispatch of lots is subject to constant review and should it be necessary lots can be securely stored without charge for as long as required. DNW are donating 5% of all buyers' premium during these uncertain times to the NHS Charities Together Covid-19 Appeal. 

It was discovered in March 2018 by a 68-year-old retired council worker using a Minelab E-Trac metal detector. After metal detecting for 28 years, the detectorist, who wishes to remain anonymous, was on a ploughed field with his local detecting club. Frustrated at only finding three .22 lead bullets in one spot, and ready to give up for the day he then got another signal in the same area and dug down 4-5 inches to uncover the Saxon penny.

The coin is in remarkable condition, and has a fine portrait of the boy king wearing a diadem and facing left. Around is the legend “EDPEARD REX ANGLORX “. (Edward king of the English). On the reverse is a small cross pattee in the centre with the legend around “AELSTAN M’O CANT”. (Aelfstan moneyer of Canterbury).

There were thirty nine mints operating around the country at this time with three moneyers working at Canterbury. Edward only ruled briefly, between the years 975-978 A.D. and was only 13 years old when he was crowned king after the death of his father Eadgar. Edward was assassinated on March 18 at the Saxon hall where Corfe Castle in Dorset, now stands, by supporters of his half brother Aethelred.

Edward became venerated as a Saint and Martyr and his bones were exhumed and taken to a shrine at Shaftesbury Abbey in 1001. The shrine was lost during the dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century, but his bones were rediscovered in 1931 and now reside at a shrine in the Russian Orthodox Church in Brookwood, Surrey. The coin is recorded under the PAS BERK-D58801. EMC 2019. 0338


NEXT SALE OF COINS:
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6 - COINS
WEDNESdAY, MAY 20 - TOKENS & HISTORICAL MEDALS
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3 - ANCIENT & ISLAMIC COINS

Public viewing is held two days before the sale between 10am – 5pm
and free online bidding is available is www.dnw.co.uk.
For more information, please call 020 7016 1700

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NOTES TO EDITORS:
Dix Noonan Webb – a brief history
In 1991, its first year of trading, the company held three medal auctions and sold 1,200 lots for a total hammer price of £553,000. Two years later it opened a coin department which also auctions commemorative medals and tokens and in 2015 DNW added jewellery to its sales calendar. In 2018, it set up a standalone banknotes department and expanded into premises next door. In the same year, DNW achieved a total hammer price of £11,676,580 and the total number of lots across all departments was 20,273. To date the company has sold in excess of 300,000 lots totalling £155 million.

For further press information and images please contact:
Rachel Aked
Tel: 07790732448
Email: Rachel@rachelaked.co.uk
April 2020