Very Rare East Anglian Portrait of Offa

CNG 97, Lot: 977. Estimate $5000. Sold for $3750. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of Mercia. Offa. 757-796. AR Penny (16.5mm, 1.02 g, 9h). Light coinage. Mint in East Anglia; Wihtræd, moneyer. Struck circa 785/90-792/3. + OFFΛ + REX +, draped bust right / +P IH TR Ed in the angles of a beaded lozenge cross fleury with plain cross and saltire in center. Chick 180; Naismith, New 17 = EMC 2010.0339 (this coin); SCBI –; BMC –; North –; SCBC 906. VF, toned, minor edge loss, light porosity. Very rare.

From the Collection of an Underwriter, purchased from Hidden History, November 2010. Found near Diss, Norfolk, circa 2010.