Yesterday, after searching nearly two years for a specimen with a favorable quality and price ratio, I was able to add this wonderful coin to my expanding collection of early-Medieval coinage: EARLY MEDIEVAL, anonymous. Denomination: AR Sceatta (Series X), minted: Ribe, Danmark (or Frisia); 710-800 AD Obv: Facing 'Wodan' head with radiate hear, beard and mustache, cross on either side, all within line border Rev: Bipedal monster in flight, looking back, gaping jaws biting raised triple-forked tail, crest before with pellet and, ornaments below head. Weight: 1.11g; Ø:11.1mm. Catalogue: Abramson 103-10. Provenance: acq.: 04-2021 This is an iconic coin, probably known by all early-Medieval coin collectors. Like most sceatta's, little to nothing is known what the iconography represents: on the obverse, we see a bearded (?) face (?), with rough hair (?), flanked by two cross-pommee, all within a lined and dotted border. On the reverse, we see a fantastic beast, biting its own tail (?), all within a lined and dotted border. It's tempting to speculate. Most auction houses refer to this coin as the 'Wodan' sceatta, and indeed, with many of these sceatta's dug up in Danmark, Wodan may be a candidate. Others suggest a crude imitation of a Byzantine Jezus figure, and interpret the lined and dotted border as a halo. In the end, we just don't know.
That’s a great catch, @Roerbakmix Congratulations! I have nothing relevant to add, except a picture of one of the first stone crosses raised in Norway. The south/west coast was the first area here to turn to Christianity, but there are no signs of a transition to a new religion here before the 10th century. Vikings from Denmark and southern Norway seem to have cooperated frequently during the 9th-11th century.
OK, I'll take a run at it... I examined the pic before I read the write up (which I like to do occasionally to see how close I can get )...I was positive that I was looking at an owl, screaming toward its prey, talons outstretched. Couldn't make sense of the reverse until I read the write up, then figured it was the prey, hightailing it away...all stylized, of course... JMHO
@Roerbakmix I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I am certain you have bought a fake coin, made in Poland. I have the exact same coin as pictured and it has been deemed fake buy multiple Danish numismatists independently. I even showed this post and the hopes to dispute it, but the ruling was unanimous. Sorry (Cited from: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/an-early-danish-or-frisian-coin.379761/)
In addition, when going through all available literature on the coin and all drawings, none are made with the three dots above the body of the monster…
Hi, that’s worrisome. Could you share images of your coin? Edit: Regarding your comment on the three horizontal pellets above the back of the monster (reverse): did you check Barrett (1992 White Roses Publisher)? See for a similar reverse type here: Especially the reference to the reverse of Belfort 5776 is convincing: there are at least types with three horizontal pellets. Also, note that a large variation in series X is known to occur, especially in the Frisian imitations. As a moderator the sceatta-section of a Dutch metal detecting forum, I have catalogued 21 series X. Of these, six were bronze. The reverse types (mainly, though the obverse shows variations too) are very diverse, e.g.: > no pellets above the back, but a oval stripe. Also note the 'potin-like' features of this specific coin, suggesting a different minting mechanism than usual for sceattas. > a similar reverse type, but this time two dots connected by a line > idem No pellets, but tail ending in a single pellets as our coin > three horizontal pellets; tail ending in two lines > three horizontal pellets, tail ending in two lines (die match to above?) or... what to say about these ones? which were found in an archaeological dig in Friesland. All these examples are to demonstrate that, while the Danish (Ribe) sceatta's were somewhat regulated (probably), the contemporary imitations were not. My coin was bought from a metal-detectorist who found it in Friesland (at least, that is what he said). Looking very close to the coin, I find the iron oxide depositions (reverse) and the horn silver depositions (reverse and obverse) convincing. The style is somewhat different than the Danish style (also, both obverse and reverse are minted off-center, which is less common on the Danish coins in my experience).
The depositions: (obverse) Iron (brown), silver chloride (black, granular), and copper (green) depositions Small mineral and sand depositions (above eye) Iron oxide, silver chloride deposition Silver chloride deposition Flow lines (reverse) suggestive of strike, instead of cast fake (though this doesnt rule out a fake using modern dies). Engraving method commonly used for sceatta's. I've studied these thin engraving lines, but have not posted on it. Especially appearant on this Series E subvar e: In conclusion: without seeing the pictures of your coin, I'm not yet convinced my coin is a modern forgery as suggested. I am quite convinced that it is a contemporary imitation of the Danish series X.
Wow. What an excellent answer! You have given me faith in mine. I will buy a usb microscope and see if I can spot the mentioned items. Thanks a lot. I will let you know
Series X front by Crjensen4 posted Dec 6, 2021 at 4:09 PM Series X Back by Crjensen4 posted Dec 6, 2021 at 4:09 PM
I see nothing to suggest that the coin is fake, and it looks fine to me, and a nice example. Congrats!
Great coin. The ethnic attribution of Sceatta is often difficult. It is likely that these coins were typically not issued by kings or princes, but by trading towns. Ribe (now Denmark) is/was part of the North Frisian settlements. So an attribution to Frisians is in my view in any case preferable to an attribution to Danes or Denmark. The OP coin is often called Woden-Monster Type. Similar stylized bearded faces appear frequently on Anglo-Saxon jewellery, such as button brooches and cruciform brooches. The fact that the design is combined with crosses should not really be taken as a sign that the issuers were Christian. There is plenty of evidence that Christian symbolism and pagan symbolism existed side by side during this period in that region.
@Roerbakmix I have received my microscope and have analyzed my coins as you have demonstrated. I too have found minimal deposits of different kinds and this leaves me to believe in the authenticity of my coins! Thank you very much for your help and guidance in the matter! Much appreciated. The coins are now back in my collection. (Cited from: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/an-early-danish-or-frisian-coin.379761/)
How propitous of @Crjensen4 to add to this thread! Many thanks. ...I just got my first Anglo-Saxon one, from a well established detectorist in Norfolk. I know Nothing about these that I haven't learned from the resident experts here. But the triangulation of a radiate profile, runes (did you say, Runes?!!?!?), residual Latin lettering, and the adaptation of the 4th-c. 'VOT' /'Banner' motif, was too much to resist, as a representative example. Observations would be keenly appreciated!
