Making Anglo-Saxon Coins for Sale | Early Medieval Coin Striking by Hand

SHOP: https://gesithas-gewissa-shop.fourthwall.com/en-gbp As the Early Anglo-Saxon dynasties settled into their newfound kingdoms, their attention turned outwards, to their borders, and the power hungry neighbors that lay just beyond. For the Southern kingdoms, and particularly that of Kent, Francia lay ever-present across the channel. The immense power of the Merovingian kingdom was to be equally feared and admired amongst the ruling elite of Britain. An instantly recognizable symbol of this power, was the coin. Known as the Tremissis, and minted in shining gold, these coins were first issued by the Late Roman Empire, and were adopted by the Merovingian kingdom as they styled themselves the successors of Rome. These coins found their way to Britain, likely through trade and the practice of elite gift exchange, but were valued purely for their gold content and as decorative objects, rather than as standardized currency. In around 630 A.D., King Aethelbert of Kent, newly wed to Bertha; daughter of the Frankish king Charibert, was eager to consort himself with Frankish power, and he ordered the first Anglo-Saxon coins to be minted in his own kingdom. These Anglo-Saxon Thrymsas began as copies of the tremisses from the continent, and other Anglo-Saxon kings soon followed suit in commissioning their own mints at important sites such as Canterbury, London, Hamwic and Winchester. The earliest Thrymsas had a high gold content, between 40 and 70 per cent. But as gold supplies dwindled from the continent, and became increasingly rare, the coins became increasingly debased. So much so that, by the mid-7th century, Anglo-Saxon thrymsas contained less than 35% gold and were entirely replaced by silver around 675 A.D. At this time the silver sceat had begun to be minted in place of the pale gold thrymsa. The coins were struck between two dies, which were iron stamps carved with the coin’s design in negative. The design was chip carved or punched into the face of an iron ingot, which was filed flat to match the face of its opposing die. Gold and silver were hammered into coin blanks, and these were placed between the dies and struck with a large hammer to impress the design. Anglo-Saxon thrymsas were relatively tiny; just 13mm in diameter and weighing 1 to 3g. Considerable skill was required to create the tiny and intricate designs on the dies, as well as to strike the coins accurately and consistently by hand. The iron dies may have been carburized or case hardened after their designs were carved, to increase their durability. However, as gold and silver are very soft, a wrought iron die works as well. These dies were repaired and refined over time, meaning that coins from the same die often had slight differences. Different designs were used, from crosses in concentric circles to clasped hands and Victory scenes. Almost all coins had, on one side, the diademed bust of a Roman emperor, facing right, these being copies of Late Roman designs. As the thrymsa developed, it appears that important moneyers emerged; and they produced coins which bore their own name as an inscription, such as ‘Witmen’’, ‘Pada’ or ‘Vanimundus’. These names, along with the different designs and changing gold content, allows the chronology of these coin types to be reconstructed. Coins minted by Pada were produced between 655 and 675 A.D. and the Pada mint was likely located somewhere in Southern Britain, possibly Kent. To an ambitious Saxon king, the coin represented an opportunity to consolidate wealth through trade, expand his influence by displaying his own power in issuing them, and to acquire a “touch of Romanitas”, increasing his own prestige. The coins were used for trade, or as a store of wealth, buried in coin hoards, and also as grave goods, buried with the wealthy for their use in the next life. I am offering these coins for sale, for those who wish to own a Gesithas Gewissa coin. While original late thrymsas were made of pale gold, with a high silver content, I have chosen to use sterling silver to make these coins more affordable. These silver coins have been hand-struck using hand-cut, wrought iron dies, made by me. As a result, no two coins are exactly the same, and the one you receive will be unique. Over time, as I repair my hand-cut dies, improve on my technique and make new dies with different images, the designs of the coins will change and I will offer new coins for sale. This means that each coin is a unique and individual snapshot in the development of my coin-minting venture, and new die designs will create a series of collectible editions. If you would like to support me further, you can become a patron here: https://www.patreon.com/gesithasgewissa Join this channel to become a member: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBH-Uv2UIE0UE6mZxUpVgoA/join Or make a one-off donation: https://paypal.me/gesithasgewissa https://www.facebook.com/gesithasgewissa/ https://www.instagram.com/gesithasgewissa/