BRITISH, Anglo-Saxon. Kings of All England. Aethelred II, 978-1016. Penny (Silver, 18 mm, 0.50 g, 5 h), a contemporary Polish or Scandinavian imitation of a long cross type penny. ✠OICCOIC[...] Bare-headed and draped bust of Aethelred II to right; around, traces of legend. Rev. Voided long cross with triple crescent ends; around, illegible legend. Cf. SCBC 1151 (for prototype). Extremely rare. A particularly wild imitation. Struck from somewhat worn dies, the flan somewhat wavy and with minor edge chipping, otherwise, about very fine.


Particularly abstract imitations of Aethelred pennies circulated in northern Pomerania, a region that forms part of Poland today, in the first half of the 11th century. It is possible that a Scandinavian imitation, rather than an official issue of an Aethelred penny, inspired the die cutter of this coin.