Reproduction Sithric Hiberno Norse Phase I Penny

Obverse: Draped bust left with ‘porcupine quill' hair, pellet behind. Text around SIHTRC REX DYFLNIM (Sithric King of Dublin).

Reverse: Long cross voided with each limb ended in three crescents, pellet in centre. Text around BIRHTIOD MO RINI (Byrhtnoth Moneyer of Winchester).

History: The minting of coinage in Ireland began shortly before 1000 when the Hiberno-Norse king of Dublin, Sihtric III Olafsson, authorized the striking of silver coins to pay for the town's defences. Copying directly from contemporary Anglo-Saxon issues of Aethelred II (979-1016) and Cnut (1016-1035), these pennies bear the name Sihtric or Aethelred on the obverse, and the moneyer and mint name, usually Dublin, on the reverse.

The coinage is divided into seven phases, Phase I pennies were based on Aethelred II’s Long Cross coinage type and attempt to accurately copy their English prototypes, sometimes even including the obverse legend with the name of the English king rather than the name of Sihtric and combining a Sihtric obverse with an English reverse, and vice versa.

This is a Phase I coin and has a Sihtric obverse with an English reverse.

Date: Dublin mint, Circa 999–1005 AD

Diameter: 1.9cm