Well, @IMP Shogun: here it is! True, you say approximately one more Anglo-Saxon thread. Nonetheless, with your comment in mind, I bit the bullet, asked for a discount from the coin shop that had this sceat in their inventory for a while, and yesterday, it arrived: EARLY MEDIEVAL, Anonymous. Denomination: AR Sceatta (Serie F), minted: probably continental; 695-705 Obv: Bust facing right, wearing helmet with neck guard, large nose to forehead, cross-patte behind. Blundered legend around. Rev: Cross on steps, annulets around, blundered legend around (largely off-flan) Weight: 1.22g; Ø:11.5mm. Catalogue: Abramson 106-35. Provenance: Ex iNumis Mail Bid Sale 18, lot 385, 19-10-2012; acq.: 04-2021 Pleasant dark-grey toning. Obverse struck with fresh die; reverse with worn die. A very brief write-up. The Series F is a very distinctive group of sceatta's, probably based on a Merovingian denier from Auxerre, France. The obverse typically shows a bust to the right, with a (weird) hat, thought by some to be a bishops mite (though I've forgotten by whom). The reverse, in this specimen struck with a worn die, usually shows a garbled legend, where, in most cases, the die-cutter didn't even bothered to imitate letters, cutting squares (below): (not my coin). Such a 'typical' series F is still on my wish list, but the portrait on my coin is really nice, and even better in hand. Anyway, I hope @Nap has a similar series F to share, or can add some foundation to my short speculative write-up above. I know, for example, that Metcalf has done a die-study, but I'm unable to locate a copy. @IMP Shogun ... welcome to the club!
LOVE these coins and this post! Reminds me that I really need to up my Anglo-Saxon game Anglo-Saxon Coins - Continental Issues - Series D Type 2c - Obverse Erased Portrait Sceatta. 695-740 AD. Obv: original design erased and lightly engraved with five-leafed rosette. Rev: cross with pellet in angles and pseudo-legend. S. 792 (modified); N. 50 (ditto).0.62 grams.Property of a Hampshire, UK gentleman. Fine. Very unusual. Ex Timeline Aethelred II – Monne - Styca Anglo-Saxon Coins - Northumbria - 841-844, 844-849 AD. Obv: small cross with +EDLIRED REX legend. Rev: pellet rosette with +MONNE legend for the moneyer Monne. S. 862. 1.17 grams. Very fine. Ex: Timeline Auction
That's hilarious, thank you. I've been looking as there's quite an amazing variety of this type of coinage. I'm Very interested in something like your Aethelred II types in this thread as it also fits a period I'm interested in: Early medieval Anglo-Saxon coinage | Coin Talk I suspect the below heavily clipped beauty could have fit well into the Saxon economy (the closest I have atm!): Valentinian II 375–392 A.D. siliqua RIC IX 24a Wreath 378-383 Siscia DN VALENTINIANVS P F AVG VOT / V / MVLT / X [SISCPS] Laureal wreath with SISCPS in exergue 13.8mm 1.04g