ANGLO-SAXON, Pale Gold Phase. Circa 645-665/70. AV Thrymsa – Shilling (12mm, 1.14 g, 9h). ‘Oath-taking’ or ‘Constantine’ type. Mint in East Anglia (South Suffolk). VF.

Triton XXIX
Lot: 1105. Estimated: $ 4 000

British, Gold

Sold For $ 3 500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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ANGLO-SAXON, Pale Gold Phase. Circa 645-665/70. AV Thrymsa – Shilling (12mm, 1.14 g, 9h). ‘Oath-taking’ or ‘Constantine’ type. Mint in East Anglia (South Suffolk). Diademed bust right, arm extending right with open hand on cross / Tmn[...], stylized trophy within double-pelleted wreath; two saltire crosses flanking pole. Marsden 10 (dies 1/D) = EMC 2003.0136; Abramson, Gold 750; Sutherland 26 (same obv. die); A&W type V.xxiv; Metcalf p. 47; MEC 8 table 3, 26; North 17; SCBC 766. Minor deposits, porosity, scratches and scrapes. VF. Very rare type, and from the rarest reverse die in the series with saltire instead of regular crosses.

This coinage was previously classified as the Constantine or ‘Oath-taking’ type, based on a supposed derivation of the obverse type from certain coins of Constantine the Great (cf. Sutherland pp. 39 and 80, and A. Gannon, The Iconography of Early Anglo-Saxon Coinage (Oxford, 2003), p. 65). However, Marsden conclusively argues that the obverse type here is novel, and that the reverse, in fact, is the derived type, taken from late Roman bronzes showing a trophy with two captives below that were struck in London, Lyon, and Trier under Constantine, circa AD 320. These Roman bronzes were still common objects during the 7th century in Britain, and frequently used as pendants.

The final winners of all Triton XXIX lots will be determined at the live public sale that will be held on 13-14 January 2026.

Triton XXIX – Session Four – Lot 920-1141 will be held Wednesday afternoon, 14 January 2026 beginning at 2:00 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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