Sale: CNG 75, Lot: 1364. Estimate $1000.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 23 May 2007.  Sold For $1300. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ANGLO-SAXON, Primary Sceattas. Circa 710-715. AR Sceat (1.06 g, 6h). Series W, type 54. Mint in southern Wessex. Figure standing facing, head right, holding long cross pommée in each hand; pellets in field / Cross-crosslet on saltire cross with central pellet. Beowulf 22 = Metcalf, First, variety 1D, 9a = EMC 1998.0056 (this coin); Abramson W220; Metcalf p. 153; North 148; SCBC 785. Good VF, toned. Very rare.

From the Beowulf Collection. Ex Rudd FPL 34 (1998), no. 44; found, W. Sussex, February 1998.

The first series of sceattas minted in Wessex. This series was the first to depict a standing figure holding a cross in each hand, which was copied in a variety of issues among the Secondary sceattas. Originally thought to be patterned on late Roman and early Byzantine types with emperor holding two standards, Gannon has found closer parallels among rare experimental Merovingian gold issues and other non-numismatic sources. Clearly, it is a type expressing security obtained through entrenchment between sacred talismans--the crosses (Gannon, p. 87 and n. 60).