Triton XIX, Lot: 873. Estimate $5000. Sold for $3000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of Mercia. Offa. 757-796. AR Penny (19mm, 1.32 g, 1h). Heavy coinage, early transitional type (?). Canterbury mint; Osmod, moneyer. Struck circa 792/3-796. ◊FFA REX mE around barred C in plain circle / OS M O D in angles of Celtic cross over large annulet, saltire in annulet. Chick 237b = EMC 1996.0165 = Coin Register 1995, 165 (this coin, illustrated in Chick); SCBI –; BMC 43 (same obv. die); North 289; SCBC 908. Good VF, toned. Well struck and extremely rare of this type.

From the Dr. Andrew Wayne Collection, purchased from Spink, 3 January 2008. Found Hindringham, Norfolk, February 1990.

In circa 792/3, probably following Carolingian precedent, Offa introduced a new heavier penny in his realm. C. S. S. Lyon notes in ‘Historical problems of Anglo-Saxon coinage’ (BNJ 36) that this unusual type of the moneyer Osmod must be placed at the very beginning of Offa’s new heavy coinage.