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Stephen (1135-1154), Patrick, Earl of Salisbury, Penny, Salisbury, Stanung, STANIVG : [ON : SA], helmeted bust right, holding sword, R above, rev. cross fleury over quadrilateral with concave sides, lis in each angle [as Henry I, type 15], 1.02g/3h (Mack 271; N 947; S 1336). On a slightly irregular flan, about very fine for issue with a strong portrait, excessively rare
£8,000-10,000

Provenance: Found near Salisbury (Wiltshire) May 2010. EMC 2010.0212.

Mack listed two specimens, one in the British Museum (from the Winterslow Hoard, 1804), the other the Lockett coin (ex Grantley), which later passed to the Conte Collection. This, along with two other examples both found near Salisbury c. 1990, was donated to the Fitzwilliam Museum by Dr Conte in 2001. The cataloguer believes that the current specimen may be the only one now in private hands.

The attribution to Patrick Earl of Salisbury is somewhat conjectural, as pointed out by Lord Grantley when he published his specimen (BNJ XVI, p.73), quoting the opinion of W.J. Andrew. In the century since then, however, no-one has suggested a convincing alternative