Harold II, King of all England 1066 AD

Lewes mint (just a few miles from where the Battle of Hastings occurred), moneyer Oswold. Crowned portrait, bearded facing left, holding scepter; reverse, Latin word “PAX” between 2 lines, across center. Minted from early January through mid-October, 1066. A superb portrait of the last Anglo-Saxon king. His famous PAX legend was a claim of “Peace” after he repelled a Norse invasion, but he was shot through the eye with an arrow in battle, at Hastings, shortly thereafter, just ten months into his reign.

This is an extraordinarily choice penny, deeply engraved and sharply struck, on a wonderful flan having high beaded rims and ideal golden gray patina, on which may be seen a few small green and black deposits from the past one thousand years.