IRELAND, Hiberno-Norse. temp. Murchad mac Diarmata – Gofraid mac meic Arailt. Mid-late 11th century. AR Penny (18mm, 0.78 g). Phase V coinage. Uncertain mint signature and moneyer. Struck circa 1065-1085/95. Four croziers forming cross in saltire, with annulet at center; retrograde S to left, scourge to right; blundered and illegible legend around / Voided long cross, with triple crescent ends and pellet at center; pellet, annulet, pellet, and ‘hand’ in angles; blundered and illegible legend around. SCBI 22 (Copenhagen), 269 (same dies); SCBI 32 (Belfast), 350-1 (same dies); SCBC 6182. VF, toned. Struck on a broad flan. Very rare.

Irish Coin Daily: Hiberno-Norse Silver Penny, Phase V – Four croziers forming cross in saltire / Voided long cross, with triple crescent ends

Date: c. 1065-1085/95 Description: Hiberno-Norse coinage, silver penny, Dublin, Phase V coinage. Murchad mac Diarmata – Gofraid mac meic Arailt Uncertain mint signature and moneyer. Mid-late 11th century Struck circa 1065-1085/95 SCBI 22 (Copenhagen), 269 (same dies); SCBI 32 (Belfast), 350-1 (same dies); SCBC 6182. Approx. 18 mm, 0.78 g VF, toned. Struck on a…

Hiberno-Norse. temp. Murchad mac Diarmata. 1052-1070. AR Penny (18mm, 0.50 g, 9h). Phase IV coinage, Facing bust/Long Cross type. Uncertain mint signature and moneyer. Struck circa 1055/60-1065/70. IIIIIIIIIII•III[...] II•I[...]IIII, schematized facing bearded head: pellet-in-annulet eyes, annulet cheeks, curvilinear mouth and mustache with one pellet at end, and linear beard; annulet above / IIIIII III, voided long cross, with triple crescent ends; in first and fourth angles, retrograde S with triple pellets at each end, “hand” symbol in second, and annulet-with-tail symbol in third. Blackburn 4, –; O’S 46 var. (symbol in third quarter); SCBI 8 (BM), –; cf. SCBI 32 (Belfast), 309; SCBI 22 (Copenhagen), 235; D&F 27; SCBC 6176. VF, toned, area of weak strike. Very rare.

Irish Coin Daily: Hiberno-Norse Silver Penny, Phase IV (’scratched die’) coinage, Facing Bust type

Date: c. 1055/60-1065/7 Description: Hiberno-Norse. temp. Murchad mac Diarmata. 1052-1070. Silver Penny (18mm, 0.50 g, 9h). Phase IV coinage, Facing bust/Long Cross type, thought to have been imitative of contemporary English coins of Edward the Confessor. Uncertain mint signature and moneyer. Struck circa 1055/60-1065/70. Blackburn 4, –; O’S 46 var. (symbol in third quarter); SCBI 8 (BM), –;…

Hiberno-Manx silver penny, viking, Phase II imitation, isle of man, feremin,

O’Brien Coin Guide: The enigma of the Hiberno-Manx Coinages of the mid-11th Century

I am frequently asked the following questions and I openly admit to struggle to answer them adequately – the negative side of being a generalist dealer (constantly buying old attic finds and selling oddments from same), as opposed to being a specialist numismatic expert like so many of my much more knowledgeable customers. Who ordered…