Saxon Penny of Offa

[Graylord]

Hi, this is my first post. Let me make myself clear at the outset, I am not a collector, although I have quite a number of coins of various sorts, all found with a metal detector over the past 29 years. My latest find was a penny of King Offa of Mercia. This of course is part owned by the land owner, but it aroused my curiosity as the portrait seems to be of a young child with curly hair. It's known I think as a Serpent Type, the moneyer being CIOLHARD, or very similar.

If I can find out how I will upload a scan sent to me by our records officer, yes I'm a member of a club, South Bucks M.D.C. All our finds are recorded and reported to the local Fields Liason Officer employed by the County Council. I thought this might interest you. I have no idea of value as this is not my prime concern, the history is far more interesting.

[Geordie582]

Cracking coin, you lucky devil! I've always fancied trying my hand at metal detecting, but lack of field sites and other distractions have prevented this.

Offa coins are not numerous and much sought after by collectors. Out of my legue though. I don't have an up-to-date catalogue, but a trip to the local library to look at the latest Spink Coins of England would give you an idea. My2004 edition gives the value at £750 in fine, but things have moved on.

I'd put your coin at Fine, mainly because of the pitting but this is subjective and I'm sure there are masses of people out there who will drool at the sight!

Congratulations on your find!

Edited June 26, 2006 by Geordie582

[Peter]

Fantastic coin Graylord....but how can you not metal detect for 29 years and not become a coin collector?

You are obviously quite well informed and I bet you have a rough idea on most coins you find.

I've bought a few treasure hunter & searcher mags & even a cheap Hi spec chinese detector (never used it in anger)

To find a coin like this is it the research you put in on a site ? or is it pot luck ?

[Graylord]

Fantastic coin Graylord....but how can you not metal detect for 29 years and not become a coin collector?

You are obviously quite well informed and I bet you have a rough idea on most coins you find.

I've bought a few treasure hunter & searcher mags & even a cheap Hi spec chinese detector (never used it in anger)

To find a coin like this is it the research you put in on a site ? or is it pot luck ?

In this case Peter it was pot luck, but other reasonable finds have been made on this particular field, some Roman and also a poor Sceat as well as EdwardIII hammered and a Charles half groat, none of which I have seen.

I personally don't research sites I just go on club digs but many people spend considerable time researching sites.

To answer your first question, the thrill of finding something that was last held several hundred years previously and investigating it's history is my interest, I rarely look at coin displays unless they have been recently found. I have only ever sold one coin I found, this was a gold Quarter Stater, mainly because I was afraid of losing it. I once found a Victorian one eighth of a farthing, about the size of a nail head, it got lost in house moving or something. The same goes for a first edition Charles Dickens. I also found a uniface gold Stater and a quarter Stater on the same day in 1981, the landowner(now deceased) excercised his right to first refusal and he paid me for my share. My wife once found a double head silver Roman in Hampshire. Several dealers offered her silly money for it, then a dealer from Tyneside offered her £400 and she took it. The only find she ever sold.

[Geordie582]

Hmm! My grandson has a metal detector, cheapy model, perhaps I'll 'play' with it sometime! Now where do I think those Celts lived around here!

[Graylord]

well Geordie, they probably lost more travelling thatn where they lived. You may well be in the right area going by your user name.

Latest news on my Offa is the farmer doesn't want it so it has to be sold or I have to buy it, which I can't afford. So I think just let our records officer deal with it.

Have to keep the farmer sweet, our old caravan is stored on one of his farms.

[Chris Perkins]

How much does the farmer want as his half? And how can you put an accurate value on it?

[Graylord]

Chris, it's been shown to a dealer in Berkshire today and he has offered £750, this amount or whatever it is sold for will be split 50/50 between myself and the Farmer.

We had another member found an Offa Penny about 4 months ago, the same dealer paid £1000 for it. The obverse on the first one was not as good as mine but the reverse was better and it had less damage and it was a diferent version. These are the only two ever found, in the history of our club, formed May 1977. I think this may be because metal detectors have improved and they are also running on higher frequencies than in the early days. Mine runs at 19mhz, most were running at about 3mhz to about 6mhz until a couple of years ago. I shall of course get at least two more valuations.

[Chris Perkins]

I have a very simple metal detector (A Bounty Hunter Tracker IV). What do you use?

[Graylord]

My current machine is a Tesoro Tejon. My wife has a Red Heat Lightning4 and we also have a Tesoro Silver Sabre Plus which we bought new in 1987. I bought her a Garrett Treasure Ace 300 a few months ago, thinking it would be lighter for her to handle but she decided to stick to the Red Heat, they are made in London by a chap named Vic Fiveash, he doesn't advertise all his business is from word of mouth reccomendation. I haven't got round to selling the Garrett yet, I'm waiting for the harvest for more interest.