THE SMARMORE HOARD OF TENTH CENTURY PENNIES

THE SMARMORE HOARD OF TENTH CENTURY PENNIES

T H E S M A R M O R E H O A R D OF T E N T H C E N T U R Y
PENNIES
By
C. E . B L U N T
the courtesy of Dr. O'Sullivan and Dr. McCoy I am
enabled to publish the following account of a hoard of seventy-two
Anglo-Saxon pennies found on 29 January 1929, at Smarmore,
Ardee, Co. Louth, Eire, and now deposited b y the Royal Irish
Academy in the National Museum of Antiquities in Dublin. Its finding was briefly mentioned by Mr. Wells in this Journal, vol. xix, p.
77, and the hoard was also known to Brooke who left among his papers
a rough list of the coins from which, no doubt, he intended to work
up a paper.
The coins were discovered eighteen inches below the surface lying
loose under a large stone.
The following is a summary of the contents of the hoard:
THROUGH
B.M.C. type I I
type I
type V
»
E d w a r d the Elder,
Athelstan
Edmund
Edred
Edwig
,,
>•
Edgar
„
„
„
„
I
I
I
II
„
„
I
Id
,,
„
„
„
Ig
I new variety
III
IV/III
IV
,, ..
,,
Temp. Edgar ? Danish ? As B.M.C.
•>
1
1
5
4
21
I
III
1
1
1
14
1
2
1
1
Eric
72
There were no Arabic coins in the hoard.
The hoard lacks three major types of Edgar, B.M.C. II, V, and V I .
Type V I is clearly the latest in his reign and the Chester hoard (1950)
suggests that II is also a fairly late type. There is no reason to believe
that Type V, the crowned bust type, was not issued spasmodically
throughout Edgar's reign, as was the case with earlier kings. It is
probably significant that here, as in some other hoards, no coins
showing the king's bust were found. This would seem to indicate
that in certain areas the bust-type found less ready acceptance than
the common type with the small cross on the obverse. The deposit
date would appear to be c. 965.
162
The Smarmore Hoard of Tenth Century Pennies
Of Edmund the moneyer Odeler (no. 9, P l . V I ) is new and Burnferth (no. 6) was not recorded before the recent Iona hoard. Gundferth
(no. 15) is unrecorded for Edred, but I also have one on which the
reading is unblundered. Of Edwig the moneyer Unbein (no. 23, P l .
V I ) is new and Frothgar (no. 20) was unrecorded before the Chester
(1950) hoard.
The Edgar series, the major part of the hoard, provides several
interesting coins. There is a mule between types III and I V (no. 67,
P l . V I ) , i.e. with a small cross on the obverse and a rosette on the
reverse. This is a rare but recorded coin. One was in the Iona find
(299), another in the R y a n sale (791), and a third is in the Castello at
Milan. All are by the same moneyer. Type I, it will be remembered, is
subdivided in B.M.C. according to the types of ornament and their
arrangement on the reverse. No. 52 in the hoard ( P l . V I ) provides
a slight variant not hitherto noted. The nearest is Id (no. 50) but in
the new variety trefoils of pellets take the place of rosettes at top and
bottom. The moneyer is Hunred who is found for the first time on a
true coin of type I in this hoard (no. 44).
Edgar's type III is a difficult one to classify and requires a study on
its own. Many of the coins have one or two letters of what appears
to be a mint name, but their identification can only be made with any
measure of certainty after comparison has been made with other
coins by the same moneyers where the mint name is spelt more fully.
No. 57 ( P l . V I ) for instance can with reasonable confidence be attributed to Tamworth in view of the coin of type I V illustrated in the
Carlyon-Britton catalogue reading +EOFER.MVND IN TQMP (lot 462).
Similarly, the attribution of no. 53 ( P l . V I ) to Canterbury is supported
by a coin of type V I by the same moneyer where the mint name reads
G/ENT (Mann sale (1917) 163, ill.). Mangod (on no. 54, Pl. VI) is a new
name for the reign but a Mangod struck at Exeter for ZEthelred II.
Borhtnoth (no. 55, P l . V I ) Brooke records as a Huntingdon moneyer
for this reign and in doing so was probably relying on this coin of which
there is a cast in the British Museum. This coin is to be compared with
lot 1103 in Lord Grantley's sale (now in the British Museum) which,
although by a different moneyer (^Ethelsige), has the same feature of
this curious mint name appearing on both sides of the coin. Similarly
Brooke quotes a coin of Richtmund reading as no. 56 (and probably
the same coin) ( P l . V I ) which he attributes to Maldon. I have not
found this name elsewhere and the attribution must remain for the
time being at best doubtful.
The other coins of type III call for no comment. Werstan (no. 69)
appears, however, to be unrecorded for type IV.
Nos. 70 and 71 appear to be Danish imitations. The latter with its
meaningless obverse legend may be a copy of an earlier coin, e.g. one of
Edmund in whose reign this moneyer is found.
The last coin in the hoard, no. 72 ( P l . V I ) , only a fragment, is of the
Northumbrian King Eric, a rare coin, comparable to B.M.C. 1112.
163 The Smarmore Hoard of Tenth Century Pennies
LIST OF
COINS
Those i l l u s t r a t e d on Plate V I are m a r k e d w i t h a n asterisk a f t e r t h e n u m b e r .
E D W A R D THE E L D E R ,
B.M.C.
899-925.
I I = B r o o k e 13. Obv. S m a l l cross; rev. N a m e i n t w o lines, crosses between.
No mint.
Weight
1.
2.
3.
4-EADVVEARD REX
+ 3 A Q V V E A R D R3X
+ E A D V V E A R D REX
ATHELSTAN,
B.M.C.
.\|ABBA|+++|IYION[\.-.|DNAIO|+++|OnOD|%-
Abba
?
.•.|LAND|+++|VCIY1O|\-
Landac
25
24J
23I
925-39.
I = B r o o k e 1. Obv. S m a l l cross; rev. N a m e i n t w o lines, crosses between.
No mint.
4.
+/E-BAESTLD
B.M.C.
REX
.•.|EEHIT|+++|HA-E)IL|\-
Mathilberht?'22
V = B r o o k e 5. Obv. a n d rev. S m a l l cross.
Winchester.
5.
+/EDELSTAN
EDMUND,
B.M.C.
Eadstan
REX
T O
BR1T
+
2
EADSTAN-MOVVIN-CIVIT
5i
939-46.
I = Brooke 1. Obv. S m a l l cross; rev. N a m e i n t w o lines, crosses between.
No mint.
6.
+ E A D M V N D REX
+ E A D M V N D RE
EADIY1V14D R E X
9 * +EADIV1VNDRE
EADMVNDREX
EADMVNDREX
10.
11.
EDRED,
.-.|BXRHF|+++|ERDMo
v;-|FRAR|+++|DMoNKv
# | M / E L D | + + + | O M _ N E | V.-.|ODEL|+++|ERMoj\-
Burnferth
Frard
Maeldomen
Odeler
24i
: v | D' E O D | + + + 1 V L F M | •v .
Theodulf
::: | V V L F | + + + | S T A N |-V.
m
Wulfstan
22\
23
946-55.
B.M.C.
I = B r o o k e 1. Obv. Small cross; rev. N a m e i n t w o lines. Crosses, &c., between.
No m i n t .
12.
13141516.
1718.
19.
+ E A D R E D RE
+EADRED REX
+ E D R E D REX
+EADRED RE+O
+EADRED R E X 4-E?ADRED R E X
EADRED REX
+EADRED RE+
:::|ELCLE|+++[IIIERII|.;v
••.|ENGLB|+++|REDHO|\v;.|E0R0|04-0|M0NE|.V••.|EYND|+++| t ER-Dlo|-.HVNR|+++jEDMO|\'. : ;|VVILA 0 + 0 | F H 0 N | v >
.•.|V-HE|+4-+|MON-|'.'
Gislemer ?2
2lf
Engelbred
Eoro(th)
2l|
21
Gundferth
18
Hunred
20|
23i
Wilaf
2l\
Wine
23
EDWIG,
955-9.
B.M.C.
I = B r o o k e 1. Obv. Small cross; rev. N a m e i n t w o lines, crosses between.
No mint.
20.
+ E A D V V I C RE-.-+
.\[FRO£)|+++|GARII|\-
i
Frothgar
1
Cf. C h e s t e r (1950) h o a r d , no. 21.
2
T h e l e t t e r i n g is d i s j o i n t e d a n d is p r o b a b l y i n t e n d e d t o b e C I J L E M E R .
20
164
The Smarmore Hoard of Tenth Century Pennies
W eight
21.
+ E A D P I G REXS
.\|ffiRIG|+++|ER.MO|v
Huriger
22§
22.
+EADVVI
.\J-l-VE|+++|IYIoN|\'
Ive
22
.•.|VNBI|+++|NMOI|'.'
Unbein
22F
RE
2 3 * +EADV.VICREX24.
+ E A D P I G REX ( M i n field) • V . | P V L F G A | + + + | R E S M O T | \ y W u l f g a r
B.M.C.
21
I I = B r o o k e 1. Obv. S m a l l cross; rev. I n s c r i p t i o n i n three lines.
Bedford.
25.
+EADVVIC RE-
.-.|-BALD|BE-DA|VINE-|\-
Baldwine
2o|
(chipped)
North/Southampton.
26.
+EADVVICRE+
. • • | H \ Z E : | + H A + N + |BALDIY1|\"
Husebald1
i8f
No mint.
27.
28.
VVIGERE
— V V I C RE
EDGAR,
B.M.C.
vMeVR-|03+--|0--|-|V--|OH+--|zic"|.v.
Thurmod?
Wilsig?
11
(fragment)
959-75.
I = B r o o k e 1. Obv. S m a l l cross; rev. N a m e i n t w o lines, crosses, &c., between.
No mint.
29.
+E-ADG-AR R E + °
30.
+EADG-A-R RE+^3
31.
+E-ADG-A-R R E + V
32.
• • -ADG-ARR- • •
.\|ADELA|+++|VERHO|-.-
Adelaver
19
„
20J
„
.\|V8JA|+++|VIGMO|\'
I8F
Albutic
.\|-LBV|-++|--HO|\*
„
11
(fragment)
33.
+E-A-D-GA-R R E +
.•.|AZFED|+++|HOM-|\*
Asfe(r)th
34.
+E-ADC-A-RR-+'.*
.\|CoP|+++|WVN|v
Copman
17
17!
35.
+EADCAR-REX;)
.\|DVRA|+++|NDHO|\-
Durand
20
„
20
36.
+EADGAR REX:
.\|DVRA|+++|NDMO|\-
37.
+E-A-DG-A-R R E + W
.%|EAlW|+++|LFMO|\-
Eanulf
19
38.
+EADCAR RE+W
.\|FAR©|+++|EHr<NO|\-
Farthen
20
39.
+ E A D G A R REXX
.\|HARC|+++|ERMO|v
Harcer
26$
40.
+EADCAR REXT
.\|l=ERIG|+++|ERMO|\-
Heriger
41.
+ E A D C A R REX—
„
„
23
42.
+ E A D G A R REX
.•.|NERIC|+++|ERMo|'.'
„
20J
43.
+ EADGAR REXE_
.\|-ERIG|+++|ERMO|-.-
„
22^
44.
+EADGOARREXO
.\|HVNR-|+++|EDMOI-|\-
Hunred
23I
45.
+EA-DC-A.R R E + W
.•.|IVEIYl| + + + | O N E T | \ -
Ive
20
46.
+ E-ADG-A-R
A|1AJAN|++ + | A I M O | v
Manai
22
47.
+E-A-DGAR RE-.-+-.-
.\|WORG|+++|MRM-|\-
Morgna
I8F
48.
+ E A - D G A R RE+-
.\|VNB|+++|EIN-|-.-
Unbein
17J
49.
+E-A-DC-A-R RE+-
.\|VNBE| + + + | O N N I | v
„
19!
RE+:
_
19I
B.M.C.
I d = B r o o k e 1. A s B.M.C.
I b u t reverse o r n a m e n t s a n n u l e t , cross, a n n u l e t
i n centre, rosettes above a n d below.
50.
+EADGARE
1
::.i|/ELF|0+0|ZIGE|.v.
Aelfsige
For a discussion on this coin see Brit. Num. Journ., vol. xix, p. 77.
17J
165 The Smarmore Hoard of Tenth Century Pennies
B.M.C.
I g ' = B r o o k e 1. Obv. Rosette i n centre, rev. as B.M.C.
rosettes i n centre, crosses above and below.
51.
+EADGAR. R.E
+|OSLA|.v..v..»|CMo|+
Weight
ornaments
I but
Oslac
21
B.M.C. I , new v a r i e t y = B r o o k e 1. As B.M.C. I b u t reverse ornaments annulet, cross,
annulet i n centre, trefoils above and below.
52.* +EADCAR. REX S
.\|HVNR.|0+0|EDM0l|\Hunred
20
B.M.C.
I I I = B r o o k e 4. Obv. and rev. Small cross.
Canterbury?
+EADCARRE+TnL
53.*
+FINE noHETA
Exeter?
54.* +EADC- - R E X A N G L - O V +
LH
+ M A N G 0 D M o + EXA
Wine
I9i
Mangod
22
(chipped)
Huntingdon? Hampton?
55-*
+EADGAR R E + N T A H V N +
Borhtnoth
+BoRHTNO©MO+NVNTN +
Mi.
56.*
+E-ADGAR R.EX A N G L o R V I
+KICHTMVND
Tamworth ?
57.* +EADGAR R.EXOBI
MONETA
21
Richtmund
Ml
(chipped)
+EOFERMVND I N T
Eofermund
I9i
Crescent and crescent of pellets p r o t r u d i n g f r o m
inner circle.
No m i n t .
58.
59.
+EADCAR 1 RJEX-A+EADCARAE-X-AND
+DVRANDES M o T
Durand
+ DVRANDTESNOM A
T p r o t r u d i n g f r o m inner circle.
60.
61.
62.
+EADGAR. REX T ?
+ EADGAR.-.-REX-T+EADCAR.^R.EX A T<?
63.
64.
65.
+ E A D G A R ^ REX
+EADGAR.IREX
+ E " A ' DGA- EX
+ FAST0LFESIIO:
+ FASTOLFDESnOT
4-FASTOLFjMON
+ FASTOLFAESMO =
+ F A S T O L F I M O I"
-FASTOLF • • •
66.
T?
+ HEROLFTESMOI
+EADGAR. R.EX-
B.M.C.
III/IV=Brooke III.
68.
69.
20i
22£
i9i
15
Herolf
(fragment)
*9
+FKEO-BERJHM0N
Freotheric
23 \
Siferth
Werstan
22J
I V = Brooke 4. Obv. and rev. Rosette.
+EADGAR. REX
+EADGAR. REX T O D
Temp. Edgar.
+SIFER.--D M O N E +VVER.STAH
i9i
Danish imitations?
T y p e of B.M.C.
70.
19I-
24^
Obv. Small cross; rev. Rosette.
67.* +EADGAR. R.EX T o D I
B.M.C.
Fastolf
20
21
+ N - - E I X IYIOE_/~
111 = Brooke 4. Obv. and rev. Small cross.
+NILDVI
fcL
?
I2i
(fragment)
166
The Smarmore Hoard of Tenth Century Pennies
Weight
T y p e of B.M.C.
I = Brooke I. Obv. S m a l l cross; rev. N a m e i n t w o lines, crosses
between t r e f o i l above a n d below.
71.
Meaningless legend
NORTHUMBRIA: ERIC, 948 a n d
.•.|EADII|+++|VND|\'
Eadmund
2i§
952-4.
B.M.C.
I I = B r o o k e 2. Obv. S w o r d between name i n t w o lines; rev. S m a l l cross a n d
four pellets.
72.*
ERJ-|RVE+
+
ELGARMI
Ingelgar
13^-
(fragment)
SAXON TRIAL-PIECES, E T C .