Won this for exactly my maximum bid, without a shekel to spare. https://cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=383486 It is nice to have an Anglo-Saxon coin again, since the departure of my Æthelred II penny. This is only my second, and it is my first sceat. I love the whimsical faces and bizarre birds and beasts on these little coins from the so-called "Dark Ages". That term is not used so much anymore by scholars of European history, because "dark" carries negative connotations, and it is unfair to characterize the people of that era as entirely backwards, uncouth, and barbaric. I like the term, however, with no pejorative connotation intended, simply because to me it seems such a dark and mysterious period, tantalizingly obscured by the mists of time. I think it is safe to say that we know much less about the history of this time than we do the ancient Greco-Roman Classical period which preceded it. One charming thing about this coin is that it features an ouroboros on both sides, used as ornamental borders. The ouroboros is a very ancient mythological symbol used by many cultures, and depicts a serpent or dragon (in this case, the former) eating its own tail. This coin comes from around the time in which the Beowulf story was set, though it predates the manuscript of that poem by nearly three centuries. I like that it may have been struck somewhere in Essex, as that is the one part of the UK I have visited, during my 2013 detecting expedition. This is precisely the sort of thing I had hoped to find over there. I didn't, obviously, but had fun, and did find some interesting things. And now, though I didn't personally dig it, I have a tangible piece of Anglo-Saxon history from a dark and mysterious time, to hold in my hand and wonder about.
I've always liked the look of them, but they seem complicated to learn as well as the variety of them.
Oh, indeed. I'll leave the "Series-this, Type-that" minutiae up to the scholars and auction cataloguers. As far as learning goes, I've never been a "buy the book before you buy the coin" type of person, much as I respect those savvy folks. No, I plunge right in (after doing a tiny bit of checking around, of course). I've always bought the coin first, because it interested me or appealed to me, and then later, ownership spurs me to learn more about it. That is perhaps not as efficient a way to learn as buying books first would be, but it works for me. Truth be told, I no longer own many reference books, and use online reference material almost exclusively.
What a great deal on a great coin! I have a series BII example (mint in Kent, a bit later c. 710): I wish these sceats were cheaper, I'd buy a bunch. The only other one I have is this, acquired recently (Kent or Lower Thames, c. 720):
That's an awesome new coin @lordmarcovan (you also @Severus Alexander !) , I love the style of these.
I want one I want one I want oneI want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one
It is true we know much more about the history of the ancient Greeks and Romans than we know about the people of "the Dark Ages". However, the great irony is that the reason this is so is thanks to the people of the Dark Ages. The monks and scribes of these times meticulously preserved and passed down manuscripts , literature, and records of earlier times.
Nice pick-up. Be careful, these little coins can be addictive, I think I have something like 40 different ones now (not including the Northumbrian types) Here is my series B:
Great acquisition! I've bid on them, but never could win one. What is especially fascinating to me is the sudden resurgence of Celtic art in these coins, about five centuries after the Celts had been stamped out by the Romans. It will probably be a good while before I can justify such a pricy deviation from my many focus areas, although I really, really, REALLY want to buy one with a Runic legend for my dead language collection.
They do have that Celtic look, don't they? One with a runic inscription would be really, really cool.
