Silver Penny of Cnut
A tiny silver penny with a diameter of only 20 millimeters may not seem capable of telling a story, but this small silver penny depicting the bust of King Cnut actually tells us a lot about the time periods it is from as well as the cultural influences that were in play during the time of Cnut’s reign.
Discovered in 2014 by a group of treasure hunters in a field by Lenborough in Buckinghamshire, England along with about 5252 other pennies, this penny was quickly identified as being from King Cnut’s rule in England1. The pennies had been wrapped in a lead sheet which kept them remarkably intact and also made them easier to identify.2 This allows for closer examination of the face of the penny, which imparts a great deal of information. For example, pennies and coins are always a boon to historians, especially archaeologists, as they allow for easy dating. Through this we know that these coins are from between AD 1016-35.3 
Also interesting about this little penny is how it was discovered with a great deal of other coins, some of the coins also dating back to Cnut’s father, King Æthelred II.4 Since Cnut became a king of England with a viking army in early tenth century, this currency shows not only the adoption of local culture by vikings moving to England, but also that coins were becoming standardized and wide-spread.5 The adoption of coins also suggests that coin-based currency was becoming so important that the use of coins was not only necessary for a King wishing to emulate local culture, but also that coins were an integral part of organizing a kingdom. Also, how quickly this was achieved is impressive and is indicative of how a coin-based infrastructure began to grow, as 5252 is a great number of coins to be produced and circulated.
The discovery of this hoard in a lead container suggests that currency of the timekept its value and was worth saving, and not only saving, but hoarding in avery sturdy container. The passing of currency from Æthelred II’s reign to Cnut’sis further evidence of standardization and widespread use of a coin-basedsystem that remained steady through regime changes. The style of bust and what Cnutis wearing is also worth inspection. This particular penny shows this Vikingturned Anglo-Saxon in a helmet, which helps us understand the style of the time.Importantly, this helmet has no horns which helps dispel the pop culture ideaof the Vikings with their fierce horned helmets.6
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