Sale: CNG 75, Lot: 1428. Estimate $1000.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 23 May 2007.  Sold For $1675. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ANGLO-SAXON, Secondary Sceattas. Circa 725-745. AR Sceat (1.22 g). Series Q-related. Interlaced cross around central pellet; pellets around / Degenerate bird (hen?) standing right; pellets around. Beowulf 80 (this coin); Abramson -; Metcalf -; North -; SCBC -. EF, toned, slight weakness of strike. Extremely rare, possibly unique.

From the Beowulf Collection.

The depiction of hens in Christian iconography symbolize the Mother Church, gathering and protecting the faithful (Gannon, p. 124).