NORMAN, Civil War. Henry Murdac. Archbishop of York, 1147/51-1153. AR Penny (19mm, 1.15 g, 5h). York mint. VF.

CNG Feature Auction 124
Lot: 1020. Estimated: $ 5 000

British, Coin-in-Hand Video, Silver

Sold For $ 5 000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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NORMAN, Civil War. Henry Murdac. Archbishop of York, 1147/51-1153. AR Penny (19mm, 1.15 g, 5h). York mint. + Θ [h]ЄИRICVS ЄPC, crowned bust right, holding lis-tipped scepter / S[T]ЄPhAHVS • RЄX (retrograde Ss), cross pattée with bar in each limb, over saltire fleurée. Cf. Allen, York 56-7 (unlisted dies); Mack ; SCBI 20 (Mack), 1637; North 934; SCBC 1322. Small chip and associated edge crack. Minor lamination on reverse. Speckled find patina and some golden luster in parts. VF. Extremely rare and of considerable interest.

Known from only a handful of specimens this extraordinary type, with a crowned bust holding a crozier and legend naming Bishop Henry on the obverse, is exceptional in the Norman series. Not since the issues of the Anglo-Saxon Archbishops of Canterbury in the ninth century had man of the church been portrayed and named on an English coin. Early authorities gave the type to Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester and brother of King Stephen. This attribution held till Mark Blackburn, recognising the similarities to other remarkable issues struck at York during the Anarchy, identified the Bishop as Henry Murdac, Archbishop of York from 1147 to 1153. A native of Yorkshire, Henry Murdac became a Cistercian monk at the instigation of of Bernard of Clairvaux. He was consecrated as Archbishop by his friend and fellow Cistercian Eugenius III. This brought him into conflict with King Stephen who had nominated his nephew William Fitz Herbert as candidate. Consequently Henry Murdac supported the Scottish invasion of Northern England. The Archbishop and English king were reconciled in 1150 and Henry Murdac led a mission to Rome to secure support for the proposed coronation of Stephen’s son Eustace as heir apparent. It may be during this period that these extremely rare coins that name Stephen as king on the reverse were struck. Henry Murdac is the last ecclesiastic to be depicted on a coin in the English series.

The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 124 lots will be determined during the live online sale that will be held on 19-20 September 2023. This lot is in Session Two, which will begin 20 September at 2 PM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.

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