H 
COINS. 
introduced copper stycas as the only coins. Stycas (46-47-48) 
are peculiar to Northumbria. They have usually a cross in the 
centre surrounded by an inscription beginning with a cross. The 
obverse contains the name of the King and the reverse that of the 
moneyer—the maker of the coin. The central devices consist of 
a cross which is varied in all kinds of ways, and often within a 
circle similarly varied. A coin (50) of Ethelred II. by the moneyer 
Leofdegn has an animal on the reverse. There are three of these 
coins in the Museum. At a recent sale £10 5s. was paid for a 
similar coin. A coin (49) in the Museum bears a bust and has a 
‘bird’ reverse. The Kings employed a large number of moneyers, 
for example, Eanred had thirty-two and Ethelred II. thirty-four. 
Names are sometimes retrograde and are often blundered. 
Four great finds of stycas were made during the last century, 
namely, in 1808, of 542 at Kirk Oswald 1 in Cumberland ; in 
1833, of 8,000 at Hexham ; in 1842, of many thousands in St. 
Leonard’s (Mint Yard) at York; and in 1846, when a large number 
was found at Bolton Percy (45). 
The Viking Kingdom of York. 
York was captured by the Vikings on Nov. 1st, 867. Under 
Halfdan, the Danish King of York, the issue of copper stycas 
ceased and silver halfpennies were introduced. His successor 
♦ 
Guthred, known as Cnut, issued silver pennies (51) and half¬ 
pennies from York. These coins bear a cross having equal arms 
or a patriarchal cross inverted with C.N.V.T. respective^ at the 
ends, and REX in the angles of the cross, whilst the reverse has 
upon it + EBRAICE CIVITAS or + EB IAI CEC IV for York, 
or the Carolus monogram introduced by Charlemagne (d. 814) 
and adopted by Charles the Bold in 864. Cnut was followed 
by Siefredus, on some of whose coins his name appears as 
SIEVERT (52). The Danish standard is represented on the 
coins of Regnald, Sitric and Anlaf. The Raven with w T ings 
displayed is depicted on a coin of Anlaf Quaran. In 921 Edward 
the Elder received the submission of Regnald and issued coins 
from York. Athelstan (53) succeeded his father, came to York, 
expelled the Viking ruler, and from York issued coins, some 
bearing inscriptions signifying that Athelstan was King of the 
Eanred 99, Ethelred II. 350, Redulf 14, Osbercht 15; 
Archbishops—Eanbald 1, Vigmund 58, Vulfhere 5. Total 542. 
