The die has been cast

Thats really cool!

 

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Thanks for the info. I have to say that you make some points that I have been wondering about since this first showed up in the auction.

The more I read about the use of weights in the region, the more it makes me wonder if this is indeed an earlier creation. My understanding is that these weights did not appear in the historic record until the appearance of the vikings. Other than the specimen cited by Williams, I have found no others with sceats embedded. Of course I am relying on the internet and whatever academic resources I can access on-line.


While the research is a bit sparse so far, it has been very interesting.

 

My weight arrived and much to my delight, the weight is indeed bordered by a pattern. Shot these photos with the phone. One of the neatest things I've seen.

 

What an awesome capture! Nice!

 

Congrats

=> that's even sweeter than you originally thought (that's a cool bonus, eh?)

 

I received this from Jane Kershaw who is a post-doc in Viking studies and has a blog here.
https://vikingmetalwork.blogspot.co...howComment=1465930677244#c1128949733602705774


Jane Kershaw14 June 2016 at 10:52
Thanks for this. I saw the photo - I think it's likely your weight is 9thC. Although the embedded coin is earlier, the triangular markings are something we see quite a lot on Viking-Age material (ie. 9-10thC), and the weights as a whole do belong to this later time period - some of them utilising coins which would have been old at the time.

 

That would probably make a decent paperweight around your office. Awesome find!

I'm probably going to shop around for Viking/Roman/Egyptian artifacts for my office soon too. Coins are cool, but artifacts can really go the extra mile, especially something as awesome as yours.

 

Thanks, but it would be a paperweight for small papers.

I wanted an Anglo-Saxon coin and a viking coin. I never got the Anglo-Saxon because they are too tiny for my taste. My Viking penny (Cnut) was stolen.

This purchase took care of both wants.........and added a whole bunch of other history with it. I have learned much about the coin and bullion/hack silver economy of Viking aged England and Europe in the last few weeks. If I ever find myself back in that period, I will able to hold my own in the marketplace.

 

How sure are you about this? The reason I ask is because someone of note at the BM has asked me if I have an export license from CNG for this item.

I am checking on it with them now. I'm hoping you are correct and that it falls outside the treasure law. It would be a shame if this is not above board. I really like the object and what it denotes. But I do appreciate the rule of law. Now I just need to know what the law is for this.

 

100% on the legalities in regard to treasure. To qualify as treasure an artefact has to be over 300 years old and have a minimum silver or gold content of 10% or greater. This does not fit that category.
I would suspect that it would be par for the course for CNG to already have the export license, objections are usually only made for items of particular cultural significance which I doubt this would be. Very nice but not rare.

 

Thanks for the quick reply. I imagine you are correct about CNG having followed the rules, but I guess I need to know it officially and I have to be able to demonstrate it, in order for someone at the BM to be able to comment on it. Since the question was raised by the head of their department, I wasn't going to debate the request.

At least there is a process in place to get things sorted out.....I hope.

M

 

Some vendors are more aggressive about obtaining a proper export paper trail. This is especially important for UK-based companies that do business worldwide.

CNG is based in the US. I am not sure how much they scrutinize the paper trail, with items that are already located in the US. The more valuable and historically important a coin, the more scrutiny it may be subject to.

I imagine if CNG had paperwork for this item, they would have provided it to you without your requesting.

 

I thought I'd revive this old thread to show a coin weight that I picked up:







The design resembles the rare "interlace design" sceat of Beonna of East Anglia but does not match the known die. If it is that though, it'd be one of 4 or 5 known. I have contemplated trying to dislodge the coin from its holder (to see the other side) but have been reluctant to damage the thing.

 

Excellent purchase. Details please.....weight, dimensions, where did you get this?

Obviously you won't destroy this, to satisfy curiosity.......right? I 'contemplated' also, but never really entertained removing my coin. I almost bought a sceat from the same die as my weight, but decided it was a redundant use of money.

I still continue to research these weights on-line. I find them fascinating.

I can't see the edges of your weight, are there any markings? Any idea of where it was found?

M

 

Weight is 18.67g. Diameter of the visible portion of the coin is about 14 mm, the weight is a little larger. About 5mm thick. No obvious carved markings. Source was a metal detectorist via Ebay.

I don't plan to destroy it but I'm burning up inside wanting to know what is on the other side. If it were a coin of Beonna, it would be an exceptionally rare piece as only 4 or 5 are known with the interlace design. Short of damaging it however, I do not believe there would be any way to know.

 

Well, I didn't know of the interlaced type until you mentioned it. After a few hours on-line, I have to say that you have a sceat that certainly looks to be a Beonna interlaced. One part of yours looks like the engraver reversed it by accident, and the rest is very similar to the photos on-line. You may have a new die type. There are so few, as you mentioned.

As for seeing the complete coin...I considered crazy things like heating and gently prying loose my sceat, since it is a rarer Kent issue. HOWEVER, having it embedded in a viking weight, makes it rarer than if it were loose. At least that is how I reason it. Besides, I could never bring mysef to ever dislodge it. Although I have mentally extracted it several dozen times (think Water Mitty)

Having said that, I did get over the urge to dislodge it, after some time passed. But the curiosity remains.

 

Thanks

I like the look and history of some of the sceats but they are so tiny. That has held me back. Otherwise I would grab more than a few.

Having a sceat embedded in a weight however made it more substantial.....Now it displays better and it is harder to lose.......plus it is a weight made and used by a Viking to trade hack silver with fellow Vikings.

Naps is the first I have seen in awhile. There are so many coins that can be purchased, but these coin weights intersect coin and artifact collecting. My suggestion is to save up and look for a Viking coin weight. Rare enough to keep you looking for years and long enough to put aside the funds. Bit of a treasure hunt, without hours in the field.