Coins and Historical Medals

Stephen (1135-1154), Penny, Voided Cross Moline type [BMC I var.] Winchester, Osbern, left facing bust, [––]ern on pi[––], 1.07g/4h (Mack –; Allen 2012 –; N 905 var.; S 1295 var.). Slightly crimped, otherwise about very fine, light earthen patina across fresh metal; extremely rare and unrecorded in the standard references £900-£1,200

Found near Yapton (West Sussex) 2025 (EMC 2026.0035)

In having the a voided cross moline on the reverse this coin can be associated with a small group of coins generally associated with Southampton (N 905). Those coins (such as that sold through these rooms on 1st December 2020 (lot 12) carry an ordinary right facing bust on their obverse, albeit one ornamented with a row of pellets across the king’s tunic. The present coin was struck from an altogether different obverse die; the bust not only faces the wrong way, but the style is also quite distinct. The lettering two is not constructed from the ordinary puncheons, and we must assume it to be of local manufacture.