EXTENSIVE PEDIGREE   

Ex Dymock Lot67a, Murchison Lot 101, Bergne Lot73, Brice Collection, Montague Lot274, Bliss Lot41, Lockett Lot3597, Bareford Lot 440, Glendining 5/27/1987 Lot259, Lawrence Stack Collection Sale Sothebys 4/22/1999 Lot 320

S0935 N410  The Anglo Saxon Chronicle says very little about Berhtwulf (also Beorhtwulf , Bertwulf  (old english meaning bright wolf).  He became king of Mercia around 839 or 840 at a time when Mercia was in decline and the Saxon kingdom of Wessex was gaining influence.  Berhtwulf may have had some military success against the Welsh and made parts of western Wales subject to the Mercian kingdom, but they successfully rebelled shortly after Bethtwulf’s death. However, a bigger threat facing the Saxon kingdoms was from the Vikings who had been raiding the coastal towns of England with great ferocity and in ever increasing numbers. In 850 after ravaging towns on both sides of the English Channel, a large force of Danish Vikings consisting of some 350 ships wintered on the Isle of Thanet at the mouth of the Thames.  In the spring of 851 the Vikings resumed their raiding and sailed down the Thames sacking Canterbury.  Berhtwulf and the Mercian army attempted to stop the Vikings but were defeated leaving London and the south of England to the mercy of the invaders.  In 850, London or Londunwic was an important town, it was the commercial center of Mercia and had a population of 8000-10000 inhabitants. As expected, the Vikings pillaged and burned London and its surrounding villages to the ground, before returning to their ships and leaving with their booty.  Berhtwulf is believed to have died in 852, but the date of his death is not noted in the Anglo Saxon Chronicle. An extremely rare coin, one of the finest in private hands with an incredible provenance going back to the early 19th century (Dymock sale). Moneyer Burnwald.  Obv: Diademed portrait facing left extending to edge of coin, “+ BERHTVVLF REX”  Rev: Cross pattee with annulets in each quarter “+ BVRNVVALD” Excellent portrait.  The Irving Schneider comprehensive  collection of extremely rare Saxon coins that sold in May 2025, failed to have an example of this ruler . The last sales of a comparable Berhtwulf penny were two coins sold in two separate Spink auctions in 2018. Both these coins achieved prices of over $18000 including buyers fee.  NGC AU50

NGC 2925525-003