437, Lot: 635. Estimate $300. Sold for $340. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of Northumbria. Æthelred I, with Archbishop Eanbald I. Second reign, 790-796. AR Sceatt (13.5mm, 0.78 g, 1h). York mint. + AEDIL·RED, pellet within dotted circle / + EANBALD (retrograde), pellet within dotted circle. Booth, Coinage – (unlisted variety, but same rev. die as 55); cf. Pirie, Guide 2.8a corr. var. (reign; different rev. type); SCBI 68 (Lyon), 65 (same dies); North 185/1; SCBC 855 corr. (reign). Near VF, toned. Rare.

The analysis of the Northumbrian coinage in SCBI 68 (Lyon Collection), has been accepted as more definitive than the earlier assessment by Pirie. In this analysis, only the quadruped coinage of Æthelred I belongs to his first reign, while all the other coins belong to his second reign. However, Lyon notes that there may have been another king named Æthelred (referred to as ‘Æthelred IA’ in SCBI 68), who could have reigned circa 810-815. If this is correct, only the ‘Cudgils’ type belongs to the second reign of Æthelred I, while the other coins belong to the new Æthelred IA (in which case the Archbishop on the present type would be Eanbald II).