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Auction: 21000 - The Tony Abramson Collection of Dark Age Coinage - Part I (conducted behind closed doors)
Lot: 327

Anglo-Saxon England, Continental Series (695-740), temp., Willibrodr, Bishop of Utrecht, Sceat, Series E variety G5, quilled crescent curved right, enclosing "Moon face" right, XAZA before, rev. VVILL[…] around beaded standard enclosing Y-shaped element and crozier, the attribute of Willibrodr, 1.10g, 180° (SL 89-50 plate coin; Abramson, 2008, Fig. 18a; 2012b, Fig 15a; SCBI 69, 215 this coin; cf. Spink 790A), lightly porous, otherwise very fine and an extremely rare variant

provenance
Acquired privately from finder, February 2005
~ Found by T Woodley at Aylesbury (Buckinghamshire) ~
[EMC 2005.0253 = BNJ Coin Register 2006, no. 94]


This enigmatic variety is one of two known whole specimens, both in the Abramson collection. The famous collector of sceats Professor Wim de Wit suggested to me that this type may be associated with the Northumbrian missionary, Willibrord, first Bishop of Utrecht (695-739). His tenure parallels the coinage. He was invited to Frisia by Pepin of Herstal, fled from the pagan Radbod, but returned under the protection of Charles Martel.
The type is essentially an extension of variety G of Continental Series E, showing a 'porcupine' styled bust with an uncertain inscription and, on the reverse, a degenerate votive standard, surrounded by a tantalising legend commencing VVILL... We are yet to see a specimen with the remainder of the legend but in the meantime rely on the central motif, a cosier, Willibrord's attribute, and by propinquity - Willibrodr is in the right place at the right time to have issued these coins and with the right relationship to power

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Sold for
£500

Starting price
£750