Silver penny from brief reign of forgotten Anglo-Saxon king now worth £32,000

A silver penny of Ludica, a virtually unknown Anglo-Saxon king of Mercia, has sold for £32,000.

Extracted from Antiques Trade Gazette | ATG Reporter

This silver penny carrying the bust of Ludica, a virtually unknown Saxon king of Mercia who reigned for just over a year, sold for £32,000 at Dix Noonan Webb.

Estimated to fetch £10,000-15,000 at Dix Noonan Webb on March 10, it was purchased by a UK collector.

The coin carries a diademed bust of Ludica facing right with the legend Ludica Rex Mer while the reverse features the inscription Lun Donia Civit in three lines – a rare reference to the status of London in the Mercian kingdom.

Ludica reigned for just over a year in 826-827AD.

Found by a metal detectorist on farmland at Coombe Bissett, Wiltshire in January 2016, the coin’s authenticity was initially questioned.

However, it was finally published as a unique survivor in the 2019 British Numismatic Journal.

Kidnap hero medal

Meanwhile, the George Medal awarded to Ronnie Russell who foiled the March 20, 1974, kidnap attempt on Princess Anne sold for £50,000 at DNW.

The honour, which had been estimated at £15,000-20,000 in the Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria auction on March 4, was bought by a UK private collector.

The buyer’s premium at DNW is 25%.