Rights Holder: Kent County Council
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COIN
Unique ID: KENT-579963
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
An incomplete early medieval silver penny of Eadberht Praen of Kent (796-8), moneyer: Duda, mint: Canterbury (Naismith type C5.2). Ref: Naismith 2011: plate 9, no. C5.2a.
Obverse: Ruler's name in three lines divided by plain lines. Legend: EAD/]BE](A)RHT/[R]EX. Reverse: Moneyer's name in central line, letter m above and ornament below consisting of 'greek' key pattern. Legend: [m]/DV[D]A.
Measurements: diameter 18.91mm, thickness 0.59mm, weight 0.65g
The coin is incomplete with only a little over half now surviving. There is a relatively straight edge approximately across the centre of the coin ending in a break of irregular shape. It is unclear whether the straight edge should be considered a cut mark although, regardless, it did not complete a halving of the coin and the continuation of this line to its edge is marked by fracture lines as if the coin had been bent or folded along this axis. Perpendicular to this is a well-defined fold line from the centre of the coin to the edge. Given the coin was not halved and there is evidence for two sets of folding at right angles to each other, this appears to be deliberate damage but it does not suggest a fragmentation of the coin to convert it to bullion, a feature of the currency not seen until well into the 9th century during the period of the Viking Great Army from the 860s. Without the survival of the entire coin it is difficult to understand the overall nature of the modification but it is possible that the coin was roughly cut and then folded on both sides of the cut for reasons unknown, with almost half of the coin then subsequently lost. The modification does not indicate a change in the function of the coin, i.e. conversion to non-coin bullion, and so does not come under the criteria for the Treasure Act 1996, but it may suggest the coin was deliberately mutilated, perhaps in the aftermath of Eadberht Praen's short reign as an independent king of Kent before it was brought back under Mercian control by Coenwulf (796-821) in 798.
Find of note status
This is a find of note and has been designated: Regional importance
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Middle
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Middle
Period to: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Ascribed Culture:
Anglo-Saxon style
Date from: Circa AD 796
Date to: Circa AD 798
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Thickness: 0.59 mm
Weight: 0.68 g
Diameter: 18.9 mm
Personal details
This information is restricted for your access level.
Materials and construction
Primary material: Silver
Manufacture method: Struck or hammered
Completeness: Incomplete
Coin data (numismatics)
Denomination: Penny
Ruler/issuer: Eadberht III Præn
Mint or issue place: Canterbury
Category: Penny of the kings of Kent 8th-9th centuries
Type: Eadberht Præn of Kent (no further details)
Obverse description: ruler's name in three lines divided by plain lines.
Obverse inscription: EAD/[BEA]RHT/[R]EX (HT ligated)
Reverse description: Moneyers name in central line, letter m above and ornament below consisting of 'greek' key pattern.
Reverse inscription: m/DVDA
Die axis measurement: 9 o'clock
Degree of wear: Worn: fine
Coin references
No coin references available.
Spatial metadata
Region: South East (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Kent (County)
District: Dover (District)
Parish or ward: Tilmanstone (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: TR2952
Four figure Latitude: 51.22123898
Four figure longitude: 1.27804678
1:25K map: TR2952
1:10K map: TR25SE
Grid reference source: GPS (from the finder)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naismith, R | 2011 | The Coinage of Southern England 796-865 | London | British Numismatic Society |
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Timeline of associated dates
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