|
 |
 |
| |
| The VINLAND coinage of Leif
Eiricsson: Here is a coin that might-have-been! As we all know from our
history books, the Greenlander Leif Ericsson, son of Eric the Red led a
colonizing expedition in AD 1000, sailing west from Iceland and Greenland
and establishing a colony he called "Vinland" on what is now thought to be
the coast of modern-day Newfoundland or New Brunswick. Just before his
departure, Leif was forced to convert from paganism to Christianity on pain
of death by Norwegian King Olav Trygvasson. The colony was ill-fated
however, with troublesome weather and problems with the natives, and the
starving colonists abandoned it after just a few of years, spelling the end
of European influence in the new world for another half millenium. |
| |
|
 |
 |
| X#5 Penny
2.4g .900Ag Ruler: Leif Eiricsson. Mintage: 500 pieces. |
| |
| The obverse shows Leif in a Viking
helm (without horns!) holding a scepter, and with the inscription LEIF
EIRICSSON (the old spelling). The reverse is a classic cross of double-lines
(guides to cutting the coin into quarters) with the text VINLANDMONETA
(trans: Vinland Money) Note that the text terminator on the inscriptions is
a "Hammer of Thor". There are two particularly interesting things about the
design of this coin. The traditional text terminator for coins of a
Christian country would be a cross, and the traditional object held by a
royal subject would be an axe. The fact that Leif chose the scepter and
hammer would indicate that he planned rebellion against King Olav! In our
romanticized version of the story... Leif was simply livid with King Olafur
Tryggvason about the forced religious conversion... and had a hoard of coins
secretly made up, planning to set up his own independent pagan kingdom far
away. But the colony had troubles and never grew to the point where money
was needed. Then when disaster struck and they had to abandon it, (and
lacking resources to remelt them)... Leif wisely chose to bury the entire
hoard rather than bring back hard evidence of his own rebellious intent...
which brings us to recent times. A digger on an obscure archaeological
expedition to New Brunswick in 1923 came across the hoard under a
rune-marked stone in a rotting leather bag and was overcome with greed from
the splendor of the find, secretly keeping them to himself. Scared of the
publicity and ashamed of himself for what he had done, he kept the hoard
intact and never sold or showed any of them. After his death his heirs,
retired themselves and living now in Arkansas, contacted me discreetly and I
was able to purchase the entire never-used hoard no-questions asked. This
silver penny weighs about 2.5 grams of 90% silver, is about 19mm in
diameter, and is done in the classic style of 10th century Viking coinage.
The condition of the is EF+ (extremely fine plus) with a delicate toning and
bright highlights. This coin is also available in copper 3.10g (Mintage:
1000). These pieces can
also be fitted as pendants, tie-tacks, or clothing buttons. |
| |
| |
|
|
|
Micro-Nations |
| |
|
Chiefa Coins |
|
|