Head of Christ?
ANGLO-SAXON, Secondary Sceattas. Circa 730-750. AR Sceatt (11mm, 0.90 g, 3h). Series QIG, type 59. Mint in East Anglia (west Norfolk?). Draped facing bust of Christ (?); pellets around / Quadruped standing left, head right, long crest entwining legs. Abramson 63-100; MEC 8 Series Qa; North 144; SCBC 808C. Toned, light marks, deposits. Good VF. Well struck on good metal. Very rare.
Abramson describes the obverse as a “delicate featured facing bust, possibly female patron or Christ”. Metcalf, in Thrymsas and Sceattas, makes no mention of Christ, but notes the similarity of the facing head to that of Series QIF. This is significant, since QIF’s crude standing figure holding two crosses does not readily suggest an explicitly Christian interpretation.
