The E-Sylum:  Volume 9, Number 7, February 12, 2006, Article 12

KING COENWULF COIN SOLD TO BRITISH MUSEUM

NBS Secretary-Treasurer David Sundman forwarded links to
new articles on the King Coenwulf of Mercia  gold coin we've
discussed in past E-Sylum issues.  The coin has been acquired
by the British Museum.

The New York Times reported: "A rare 1,200-year-old Anglo-Saxon
gold coin that was sold at auction to an American collector will
not be leaving Britain after all.

The British government blocked the export of the coin last year,
and the British Museum has raised the funds needed ' more than
$650,000 ' to buy it back. The acquisition is to be announced
today.

A treasure hunter discovered the coin in 2001 in Biggleswade,
on the banks of the river Ivel about 60 miles north of London,
using a metal detector. The gold penny, called a mancus, weighs
about an eighth of an ounce and is slightly larger than an
American penny."

To read the complete article, see: Full Story

The BBC reported: "The National Heritage Memorial Fund provided
$225,000 of the $357,832 total cost.

British Museum curator Gareth Williams said they were "delighted"
to have acquired the coin for the national collection.

"The Coenwulf gold coin is tremendously significant as a new
source of information on Anglo-Saxon kingship in the early ninth
century," he said."

To read the complete article, see: Full Story

An Associated Press story highlighted Allan Davisson's role:
"Coin collector Allan Davisson mortgaged his house in late 2004
so he could bid $400,000 for a 1,200-year-old British coin."

"Davisson's bid was the highest price anyone had ever paid
for a British coin, until last week when he sold it to another
American collector for $600,000.

That collector has agreed to sell the coin to the British
Museum, which is fine with Davisson. He says the important
coin should be in the museum, and he couldn't afford to keep
it anyway. "

To read the complete article, see: Full Story

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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