Denmark, Svend Estridsen, denarius (penning), 1047-1075, men. Lund, minter Karl.
Av. +MAGNVS REX; Christ throning with left hand on breast, right raised in gesture of blessing.
Rv. +ᚴᛅᚱᛚᛅᚠᛚᚢᚾᛏᛁᛗ ... (KARLAFLUNTIM...) - the name of the minter and the name of the mint written in runes; Cross of elongated quadrangles ending in three balls.
Silver, 1.04 g, 17.4 mm. Hauberg 30; Several period incisions (pecks) each on verso and reverse.
Condition III+, mint sheet flaws.
Svend Estridsen (in Old Norse Sveinn Ástríðarson) was born in England around 1019 as the son of Ulf Jarl and Estrid Svendsdatter. Estrid was the daughter of King Sweyn (Svend) Forkbeard (son of Harald Bluetooth) and sister of King Canute the Great. There is a view that the design of the Byzantine-style denarius was inspired by coins brought by his contemporary (and sometimes ally) Harald Hardrada, who was commander of the Byzantine Emperor's Varese Guard. The presence of a whole host of unusual pieces from the Mediterranean in Svend Estridsen's Danish minting supports this view.
