High Relief Offa Portrait

Triton XXII, Lot: 1358. Estimate $5000. Sold for $4250. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of Mercia. Offa. 757-796. AR Penny (16mm, 1.19 g, 11h). Light coinage, portrait type. London mint; Æthelweald, moneyer. Struck circa 785-792/3. + ΘFFΛ REXX (floral spray, various pellets), bare bust right / Є∂ IL VA LD, short cross batonnée over short cross in saltire; all within circle and set on long voided cross pommée with globule in each limb. Chick 9 (but see 10k for same rev. die); SCBI 67 (BM), 47 var. (obv. type; same rev. die); SCBI 9 (Ashmolean), 5 var. (rev. legend); North –; SCBC 905. Good VF, toned, some porosity on reverse. High relief portrait. Extremely rare.

The finest of four known specimens of this unusual type with an ‘ornamental spray’ or ‘palm’ before the bust.