Not Sweating the Small Stuff

An Anglo-Saxon Gold Coin - So?

Ninth-century gold coin depicting King Coenwulf (796-821) of Mercia (British Museum)

I was wondering why I got so excited reading a piece by Anita Sethi on a medieval coin in The Guardian, Feb 9th 2006. After all, we are only talking a coin, abet a gold one.

Then I thought of diamonds ... and the four C's that so seriously excite - colour, clarity, carats and cut.

So I decided there must be something similar for gold antique coins - perhaps four R's:

• Rarity - only eight British coins are known between 700-1250 and this one has the added excitement of being the oldest known example of gold currency showing a British monarch, with the added bonus of being in near mint condition
  

• Reference - to a particular historical figure, that is King Coenwulf, the ruler of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia from 796 to 821

• Romance - of gold treasure lost - in antiquity - and found - in Bedford in 2001

• Record - the coin was sold to the British Museum for a world record £357,832

With such high ratings in the four R's, no wonder I was so intrigued by the article!