Extremely Rare Series BIII Imitation

Sale: CNG 75, Lot: 1352. Estimate $750.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 23 May 2007.  Sold For $480. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ANGLO-SAXON, Primary Sceattas. Circa 680-710. AR Sceat (1.23 g, 6h). Imitation of series BIII. Uncertain mint. Crude diademed head right; two annulets before / Crude dove standing right on cross crosslet; pellets in angles. Beowulf 25 (this coin); Abramson -; Metcalf -; Coin Register 2002, 70; North -; SCBC -. Good VF, dark find patina. Extremely rare.

From the Beowulf Collection.

Regarding the reverse, there are multiple varieties of types depicting birds and crosses, all reflecting Christian iconography: the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, and the cross. The diverse array of prototypes, both from numismatics and elsewhere, account for the many variations in their style and presentation (Gannon, pp. 107-112).