Extremely Rare Earl of Salisbury

CNG 90, Lot: 2415. Estimate $15000. Sold for $13000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

NORMAN, Civil War. Patrick, Earl of Salisbury(?). 1145-1168. AR Penny (16mm, 1.01 g, 2h). Coinage of the Angevin Party. Uncertain mint, possibly Sereburh (Salisbury); Stanung, moneyer. [+ STIE]F[NE] R [E]X, crowned and armored bust of Stephen right, holding sword; star behind / STANIVG : [ON : SA], quadrilateral with incurved sides and fleurs at limbs; all over cross fleurée. Mack 271; SCBI –; North 947; SCBC 1336; EMC 2010.0212 (this coin). Near VF, toned, struck on a somewhat irregular flan. Strong portrait. Extremely rare, and likely the only specimen held privately.

From the Andrew Wayne Collection. Ex Dix, Noonan, Webb 86 (16 June 2010), lot 929 (back cover coin). Found near Salisbury, Wiltshire, May 2010.

Patrick of Salisbury (circa 1122-1168), the 1st Earl of Salisbury was an Anglo-Norman nobleman and the uncle of Sir William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke, the "greatest knight that ever lived."

Born to Walter of Salisbury and Sibilla de Chaworth, Patrick was constable of Salisbury. While Patrick initially supported King Stephen in The Anarchy (1135-1153), he transferred his allegiance from King Stephen to the Empress Matilda when his sister, Sybilla, married John FitzGilbert in 1141. John was the former Marshal to Henry I and a recent supporter of Matilda. Through this astute political move, Patrick was made an earl and gained the friendship of his new brother-in-law. John went so far as to send his younger son William to stay with Patrick, and it was during this time that William began to learn the qualities of knighthood that made him a legend.

Patrick was killed at Poitiers in 1168 during an ambush on him by the forces of Guy of Lusignan.