ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of Wessex. Æthelstan. 924-939. AR Penny (21.5mm, 1.61 g, 9h). Bust Crowned type (BMC viii). Norwich mint; Hrodgar, moneyer. Good VF.

Keystone 16 – The David C. Bianchi II Collection
Lot: 57.
Closing Date: May 20 2026 10:00 ET

British – Anglo-Saxon & Norman, Silver

Estimate: $ 3 000

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ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of Wessex. Æthelstan. 924-939. AR Penny (21.5mm, 1.61 g, 9h). Bust Crowned type (BMC viii). Norwich mint; Hrodgar, moneyer. + ÆÐELSTΛN REX, crowned and draped bust right / + HRODGAR MO NORPIC, small cross pattée. Blunt, Aethelstan 284; SCBI 34 (BM), 143 (same obv. die); SCBI 30 (American), 337 (this coin); North 673; SCBC 1094. Toned, tiny edge crack, small flaw and smoothing in obverse field. Good VF.

From the David C. Bianchi II Collection. Ex Triton XXII (8 January 2019), lot 1372; Alan Williams Collection (Part I, Spink 252, 21 March 2018), lot 63; E. M. Norweb Collection (Part III, Spink 56, 19 November 1986), lot 785, purchased from Spink, April 1969; ‘Old German Collection’ dispersed by Jacques Schulman.

Æthelstan was a remarkably successful monarch who managed to establish dominion over the whole of the island of Britain, having driven the Danes from York and received the submission of Constantine of Scotland, Hywel Dda of Wales, and Owain of Strathclyde, and Ealdred of Northumbria. Ruling over these diverse people required a new, centralized government ruled through ealdormen and advised by the Royal Council. Æthelstan also reformed legal codes, standardized the coinage, and promoted the church. Unfortunately, his kingdom did not survive long after his death. York quickly reverted to Viking control under Olaf Guthfrithsson of Dublin. Æthelstan’s successor, his half-brother Eadmund, spent most of his reign attempting to maintain control of his threatened kingdom.

Closing Date and Time: 20 May 2026 at 10:18:40 ET.



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