England Penny ND Aethelred II Long Cross, Bath XF

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England, Bath. AR Penny, ND (undated, c. 997–1003), Aethelred II (978–1016). Long Cross type. Moneyer Aelfric. 1.32 g. XF/VF+. Silver. Catalog: Spink 1151; North 774.

Numismatic Insight: Aethelred II’s Bath Long Cross Penny (Spink 1151 / North 774) — probably a contemporary imitation

Overview: A silver penny of the Long Cross type in the name of Aethelred II (Old English Æþelræd; often Æthelred the Unready), King of England 978–1016, naming the Bath mint (BAD) and the moneyer Aelfric. Undated (ND); the official Long Cross type is generally placed c. 997–1003. Weight 1.32 g; grade XF/VF+ (Extremely Fine / Very Fine plus). Catalogued Spink 1151 and North 774 — the standard references for the official Long Cross type. A few peck-marks are present. Style is crude and the legends are misspelled; the piece is probably a contemporary imitation rather than an official Bath product of moneyer Aelfric.

Design: Obverse — draped bust left, pellet at the nape; legend +ÆDELRED REX AGL (intended “Aethelred Rex Ang[lorum]”, Aethelred King of the English; spelling irregular). Reverse — voided long cross with triple-crescent ends; legend +ÆL-ERIE IIΩO BAD (intended moneyer Aelfric / Ælfric on Bath; letters blundered). The crude engraving and misspellings support the contemporary-imitation reading while still following the classic Long Cross scheme. Surfaces retain strong medieval detail on the better side, consistent with XF/VF+; peck-marks (test marks typical of Scandinavian and northern Baltic silver circulation) are noted.

Historical context: Aethelred II’s Long Cross coinage (c. 997–1003) is among the best-known Anglo-Saxon penny series of the late tenth and early eleventh centuries. Official dies name moneyers at regional mints across England; Bath (BAD / Baðum) was one such mint, and Aelfric (Ælfric) is a documented moneyer name in the series. Contemporary imitations — often of Scandinavian or other northern manufacture — commonly copy Long Cross types with blundered legends and coarser style, and many such pieces entered Baltic and Scandinavian circulation together with official English pennies. Peck-marks on English-type pennies of this period are commonly interpreted as silver-quality tests by northern traders. Cataloguing under Spink 1151 / North 774 places the piece in the Long Cross / Bath / Aelfric type-group while the crude style and misspellings are disclosed as pointing to a contemporary imitation.

Numismatic details: Silver penny (AR). Weight 1.32 g. Grade XF/VF+. Undated (ND), Long Cross type of Aethelred II (c. 997–1003). Catalog: Spink 1151; North 774. Mint signature: Bath (BAD). Moneyer: Aelfric (blundered on the reverse). Legends: +ÆDELRED REX AGL / +ÆL-ERIE IIΩO BAD. A few peck-marks. Crude style, misspelled legends — probably a contemporary imitation. An honest Long Cross–type Bath attribution with clear disclosure of imitation character and peck-marks.

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