A silver penny of King Cnut found near Market Overton, Rutland. (c) Portable Antiquities Scheme, CC BY-SA 2.0
Description
Coin of Cnut the Great (LEIC-B1F8EA)
A silver penny of King Cnut found near Market Overton, Rutland
This coin is an example of a Quatrefoil type silver penny of Cnut, minted in Stamford or Norwich by the moneyer Thurstan.
Minting coins was a way of controlling the means of exchange within a kingdom and one which created a more easily administered standardized system of trade. Moreover, the coins themselves were often used as propaganda, portraying symbols and statements that gave off a desired message. The Vikings later used the minting of coins to legitimise their own rule.
