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Auction: 18004 - Ancient, British and Foreign Coins and Commemorative Medals
Lot: 331

William I (1066-87), Penny, Paxs type, Oxford, Brihtred, 1.35g, crowned head facing, holding sceptre, rev. [b]rihÐred on oxne, cross pattée, p a x s in angles (N.848; BMC VIII; S.1257), peripheral striking weakness, otherwise toned, very fine

provenance
Bt. 1 August, 2003
Beauworth Hoard, Hampshire, 1833

On a Sunday afternoon in late June 1833, four boys began playing marbles in a small pasture field, whereupon they stumbled across a piece of lead protruding from the exposed earth of a recent cart track. As they jostled to extract it, they managed to reach their hands inside the hole they had created and began pulling out silver discs which they initially deduced to be simply worthless buttons. In consequence they subsequently reburied several handfuls in a neighbouring field before returning to their village to throw more pieces into the local pond and surrounding roads.

It was not until the landowner became aware of an ever-increasing throng of more astute treasure seekers around the site of the hoard that he requested the finds to be transferred into his care. That evening some 6.500 silver pennies had been returned, of which all but approximately 100 were found to be of the PAXS type, William the Conqueror's last issue. Prior to this discovery, the BMC VIII type was considered quite scarce.

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Sold for
£400