London , 30th September – 1st October 2025
This September, Spink’s much-anticipated Coinex sale promises not only several high-calibre collections but also a showcase of exceptional artefacts and other detecting finds spanning a millennium of history. These are relics not only of monetary value, but also of profound cultural significance. From the age of Viking raiders to Jacobean courtly intrigue, each piece offers a glimpse into a lost world right beneath our feet.
Amongst the standout offerings is a silver penny of Aethelstan I of East Anglia, struck by the moneyer Torhthelm in Ipswich between c.825–845 CE. Recently authenticated by several early medieval experts and certified by NGC, this coin adds a previously unrecorded variant to the known corpus of Aethelstan’s coinage. It is the inclusion of an inner circle on the obverse which sets it apart from the issues previously seen.
During this period of history, the kingdom of East Anglia was both vital and volatile. It was sandwiched between the rising dominion of Wessex to the south, and the increasing assault of Scandinavian raiders to the north. Coins served not only as currency, but they were also important instruments of authority, bearing the names of leaders and often the places in which they wielded power. This key rarity has an estimate of £3,000-£4,000.
Following on from the record-breaking sale of the Wealden Ring earlier this year, another exceptional piece of jewellery, this time from the Viking Age, is featured in Coinex this year. The item in question is a gold finger-ring, dating to c.800-1000 CE. Discovered in Little Munden, Dane End, in Hertfordshire prior to the establishment of the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS), it has recently been officially recorded and disclaimed. It now comes to market with an estimate of £4,000-£6,000.
The ring is crafted from gold of high purity (over 97%), weighing just over 10 grams, and with an external diameter of 29mm. These colossal dimensions suggest it may have been worn over gloves, a practice common among Viking warriors and chieftains. The bezel is decorated with four precise rows of triple-pellet triangle motifs, a hallmark of high-status metalwork from the period. These shapes may allude to wider Norse symbolism, such as the Valknut – a triangular sign associated with Odin and the warrior afterlife, although interpretations remain speculative.
These pennies are among the most sought-after Viking issues, valued both for their artistic impact and historical resonance.
The craftsmanship here is of a particularly high quality: sharply defined and symmetrical, with tapering shoulders that form an interlocking loop at the back. This construction would allow for practical size adjustment, an important consideration for items that were often gifted or traded. Comparable examples are rare. A similar ring found in Nottinghamshire, recorded by PAS and now held in the British Museum, is notable – but few rival the Little Munden ring in size, completeness, and intricacy. It is not hyperbole to say that this ring is one of the finest examples of a Viking finger ring ever recorded in Britain.
Rings like this were more than just personal adornment; they were expressions of loyalty, portable wealth and displays of power. In Norse society, arm and finger rings were often given by war leaders to their followers in return for service, binding the social fabric through reciprocal obligation. This is a practice vividly reflected in saga literature, such as in the infamous Beowulf poem.
The cup was carried to him, kind words Spoken in welcome and wealth of wrought gold Graciously bestowed; two arm bangles, A mail shirt and rings, and the most resplendent Torque of gold I have ever heard tell of Anywhere on earth or under heaven.” Beowulf, translation by Seamus Heaney (lines 1191-1196)
Another notable find from the same period is a ‘Raven’ type penny of Ánláf Guthfrithsson, ruler of Dublin and Northumbria between 939–941 CE. It was discovered in the Scunthorpe area in 2023 and features a raven on the obverse (which were sacred to Odin) soaring with outstretched wings. Struck in York by the moneyer Æthelferth, it represents a blend of religious symbolism with the political authority of a regional mint.
Ánláf Guthfrithsson was one of the most powerful Hiberno-Scandinavian rulers of the 10th century, known for his campaigns against the Anglo kings of Wessex. His coinage reflects both his dual identity and his ambition: the use of Old Norse transcribed in the Latin alphabet (+ ANLAF CVNVNC – “King Anlaf”), alongside a Christian cross pattée and Pagan raven, revealing a ruler who was navigating multiple cultural influences and committees simultaneously.
These pennies are among the most sought-after Viking issues, valued both for their artistic impact and historical resonance. This example underscores the rich legacy of Scandinavian presence in northern England – particularly in York, or Jórvík as it was known at the time. The coin will be offered with an estimate of £4,000–£5,000.
Moving from warrior kings to ecclesiastical politics, we are thrilled to be able to offer a large vesica seal matrix, discovered in 2022 near Eastry, Kent, which once belonged to Anselm, Prior of Dover in the late 13th century. Cast in copper-alloy, the seal bears the inscription: S’ ANSELM . PRIORIS . ECCL. SCI . MARTINI . DOVORIE – “The seal of Anselm, Prior of the Church of Saint Martin at Dover.” At its centre is a delicately rendered image of St Martin of Tours dividing his cloak for a beggar – a potent emblem of Christian charity and spiritual duty.
Yet Anselm’s career was significantly less charitable than the imagery here suggests. Appointed Prior in 1275, he was tasked with reforming a struggling institution but quickly earned a reputation as a harsh disciplinarian. Monks complained of deprivation, and the priory’s financial difficulties only worsened. Eight years later, in 1283, Archbishop John Pecham intervened (with the backing of King Edward I), deposing Anselm as part of wider ecclesiastical reforms aimed at curbing monastic abuses and revitalising spiritual discipline. The seal matrix, estimated at £1,500–£2,000, stands as a symbol of contested religious authority during a turbulent chapter in Church history.
Equally captivating is a silver farthing of James I, dated to c.1613–1615, struck during the Harington patent era. Farthings at the time were made of copper, introduced to facilitate small transactions during a period of chronic coin shortages. This unique silver example – possibly once gilt – was almost certainly a presentation piece, perhaps created for the King himself or as a gift to a member of the court.
Numismatist Tim Everson identifies a parallel in the Charles I Richmond farthings, which also include silver strikings. In The Galata Guide to the Farthing Tokens of James I and Charles I, he argues that those coins were not struck as proofs but rather intended as curiosities or high-status gifts. This coin, discovered in Skeyton, North Norfolk in 2016, remains the only known example of its type, and will be offered with an estimate of £3,000-£4,000.
Each of these extraordinary finds reveals something unique about Britain’s past – be it the violence of Viking incursions, the complexities of medieval church politics, or the ceremonial pageantry of the Stuart court. Thanks to the diligence of metal detectorists, the stewardship of the Portable Antiquities Scheme and the Corpus of Early Medieval Coin Finds at the Fitzwilliam Museum, and the platform provided by Spink, these objects are now poised to continue their stories anew—from field to cabinet.
All of the lots mentioned here will be sold in the upcoming Coinex Auction on 30th September 2025 – 1st October 2025. If you would like to discuss any further details, or explore avenues of consignment, please contact Ella Mackenzie on [email protected] or +44 (0)20 7563 4016.
By Ella Mackenzie