A silver penny of King Cnut the Great. (c) Portable Antiquities Scheme, CC BY-SA 2.0
Description
Coin of Cnut the Great (LEIC-4B7888)
A silver penny of King Cnut the Great
This Short Cross Type silver penny was minted in the name of King Cnut between 1024 and 1030 in the Derby mint by the moneyer Swartinc. The location of discovery is unknown.
Minting coins was a way of controlling the means of exchange within a kingdom and which created a more easily administered standardized system of trade. Moreover, the coins themselves were often used as propaganda, portaying symbols and statements that gave off a desired message. The Vikings later used the minting of coins to legitimize their own rule.
