Discover a tangible connection to the England that existed before the Norman Conquest. Struck in silver during the reign of Edward the Confessor, this Small Flan penny belongs to the years circa 1048–1050. Produced at Langport by the moneyer Godric, this historic coin brings the distant world of Anglo-Saxon kings, local mints and everyday trade within reach.

Edward’s reign would end at the beginning of 1066, a year that changed England forever. His death on 5 January left no clear, universally accepted successor. Harold Godwinson took the crown, while William, Duke of Normandy, maintained his own claim to the throne. Before the year was over, Harold had been killed at the Battle of Hastings and William had begun a new chapter in English history. This penny comes from the reign whose ending set those events in motion.

The obverse features Edward’s left-facing bust, surrounded by an inscription naming the king. On the reverse, a short, double-lined cross forms the centre of the design, with the surrounding inscription identifying the moneyer and mint. These details give the coin an individual identity, connecting royal authority with the people and places responsible for making England’s money.

Measuring approximately 15mm across, the Small Flan penny takes its name from the compact metal blank on which it was struck. Made by hand using the hammered method, it has the irregular outline and individual character that make early English coins so engaging to collect.

Offered in Very Fine condition, this example allows the royal portrait, cross and surviving lettering to be appreciated alongside the marks of its long history. Its recorded provenance includes the Carlyon-Britton and Lockett collections, adding a further chapter to its story as a collected and preserved object.

For those drawn to the story of 1066, this penny offers something more immediate than a date in a history book: an original silver coin made under Edward’s authority, before the struggle for his crown transformed the kingdom. Although its individual circulation history cannot be traced to the battles of 1066, it remains a direct link to the Anglo-Saxon England in which that story began.