Anglo-Saxon Kingdom Chose Copper Coins Despite Abundant Silver

Anglo-Saxon kingdom chose copper coins despite abundant silver

Analysis of silver and gold from the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria finds that, contrary to popular belief, it did not suffer from a shortage of precious metals, questioning why the kingdom used copper-alloy coins rather than silver like its contemporaries.

An Anglo-Saxon kingdom had plenty of silver but paid in copper

The Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria switched to copper-alloy coins in the ninth century even though it still had plenty of silver, a new analysis suggests. The change may have made money more useful for everyday purchases, turning an apparent sign of poverty into a clue about how the kingdom’s economy worked. Northumbria covered much of […]

Medieval Kingdom Had Plenty of Silver but Chose Copper Coins, Study Finds

New research challenges the idea that Viking raids impoverished Anglo-Saxon Northumbria, revealing a thriving economy and an unusual approach to coinage.