Rare Second Hand/First Hand “Mule” // Danish Invasion-Related Issue?

CNG 85, Lot: 1451. Estimate $1500. Sold for $5500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of All England. Aethelred II. 978-1016. AR Penny (19mm, 1.59 g, 9h). Second Hand/First Hand type mule (BMC iid/iia, Hild. B1b). Ipswich mint; Lytelman, moneyer. Struck circa 991. + ÆÐELRÆD REX ΛNGL(ORX), diademed and draped bust right; scepter before / + LУTELMΛИ M–O GIPES, manus Dei descending from clouds; barred Λ ω flanking. Sadler 130 (dies 1/1); SCBI -; Hild. 1083; BMC -; North 768/766; SCBC 1146/1144. Good VF, toned, small edge chip and striking perforations. Extremely rare, possibly the second known.

From the Marie Karlsson Collection.

Sadler discusses this particular issue on pp. 70-3, and views it not as a mule, but as a transitional type that was struck in light of the Danish invasion of 991 led by Olaf Tryggvason (see also M. Dolley, “A mythical Second Hand First Hand Mule of Aethelraed II,” NumCirc October 1966, p. 236). He also suggests that the second hand type began at Ipswich in 991, rather than 985. K. Jonsson and G. van der Meer, in their article “Mints and Moneyers c. 973-1066” (in K. Jonsson, ed., Studies in Late Anglo-Saxon Coinage [Stockholm, 1990]), attempted to list the known mints and moneyers for all the coins of this period, including mules and transitional types. They list only one mint-moneyer combination for this type of mule, Theodgar at Lewes, although the Lytelman at Ipswich variety is listed in Hildebrand.