Sale: Triton VI, Lot: 1318. Estimate $2000.  Closing Date: Monday, 13 January 2003.  Sold For $4500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Archbishops of Canterbury. Aethelheard. 792-805. AR Penny (1.34 gm). Under Offa, king of Mercia. Struck 792-793?. •:• OFFA REX MERC, central circle containing cross fleury / •:• AEDILHEARD PONTI-, central circle containing cross-crosslet. Cf. Blunt, 135 (reverse type); SCBC 884. Good VF, metal slightly porous. Extremely Rare, possibly third known example of this type. ($2000)

There are less than twenty known specimens of the pennies struck by Aethelheard under the suzerainty of Offa. The extremely rare types with his title given as Pontifex were probably struck from late 792 to early 793, between his election as Archbishop and his formal consecration.