Sale: CNG 69, Lot: 2105. Estimate $2500.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 8 June 2005.  Sold For $3000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ANGLO-SAXON. Kings of Northumbria. Hoaud? Circa 850. BI Styca (1.02 gm, 7h). Huætred, moneyer. +HOAVD RE, central cross / +HVAETRD, central cross. Pirie 451 (same dies); Axe, "Dating the so-called Hoaud stycas," BAR 180, pl. 22, 1 (same dies); SCBC -. Good VF, toned. Among the finest of the seven known. Rare. ($2500)

Although there is a large class of irregular Northumbrian stycas bearing the corrupted names of kings from Eanred to Osberht, this type appears to be in the name of a king "Houad". No such king appears in the historical record, and no similar name is found among the Anglo-Saxons at this period. However, at this time the Northumbrian kingdom was fragmenting under a weak kingship and constant civil strife, as well as losing revenue due to an increasing number of monastic estates. As a result, Northumbria suffered repeated incursions from the Picts and Scots to the north and Danes from the east. The capitol of York was captured by the Norse in 865. If "Hoaud" is the name of a claimant king, he could either be a local warlord attempting to rise above his station, or perhaps a Danish freebooter carving out his own domain from the ruins of Northumbria.