Sale: CNG 70, Lot: 1252. Estimate $500.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 21 September 2005.  Sold For $500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of All England. Aethelred II. 978-1016. AR Penny (1.16 g, 9h). Last small cross type, circa 1009-1017. London mint; Eadsige, moneyer. +EDELRED REX ANIG•L:, diademed bust left / +EA•DSI M-O LVN•II, small cross pattée. SCBI 25 (Helsinki), 513 (same dies); Hildebrand 440 (same dies; Dunwich mint); North 777; SCBC 1154. Good VF, struck with slightly worn dies. ($500)

Ex William J. Conte Collection (Triton VI, 14-15 January 2003), lot 1342.

Originally attributed to the mint of Dunwich by Hildebrand H.A. Parsons (NumChron 1912), this issue was the subject of a note by R.H.M. Dolly ("A Note on the Mythical Mint of Dunwich," NumCirc November 1955, p. 470). Dolley noted that Hildebrand 440 was a die duplicate of Hildebrand 2365, a discovery that revealed that the "D" in the mint name of coin 440 was actually an "L". Apparently, the "L" had been engraved over another letter and the die wear gave the appearance of the letter as a "D". This coin was also struck from these dies, and the state of wear causing the earlier mistake is clearly apparent.