1,100-Year-Old Silver Penny Returns To Exeter After Transatlantic Journey
A rare Anglo-Saxon silver penny, minted in Exeter more than 1,100 years ago and believed to feature the earliest known use of the city’s name, is finally returning home.
The Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM) in Exeter has acquired the coin, describing it as a remarkable piece of local and national history.
Struck between 895 and 899 AD during the reign of King Alfred the Great, the coin is one of only three known to exist. According to RAMM, it represents the oldest surviving reference to Exeter — a city with roots that stretch deep into England’s early medieval past.
The silver penny had been part of the Dr Irving Schneider Collection in the United States since 1989. When the collection went to auction in Zurich this past May, the museum seized the opportunity to purchase the coin for an undisclosed amount.
The coin’s rediscovery traces back to 1840, when it was found near Preston as part of the famed Cuerdale Viking Silver Hoard. While the other two examples of this coin are held by the British Museum, the return of this piece to Exeter marks a significant cultural moment for the city.
Tom Cadbury, assistant curator at RAMM, expressed his enthusiasm: "This little coin is an incredibly important piece of Exeter’s history. It was made 1,130 years ago, making it the earliest known use of the name Exeter. Only three of these coins have ever been found, and the museum has been aware of this one’s existence since 1868.
"It’s incredible that it’s finally coming home."