THE MIDGARD SERPENT TYPE PENNY

Norse mythology is full of trolls, beasts, shapeshifters and talking animals. One of the most feared creatures was the Midgard Serpent or Jörmungandr, which circles the Earth, biting its own tail.

Very few ‘Viking' coins carry heathen / Norse imagery. The introduction of coinage in Scandinavia came at a time when Christianity was well established in the higher echelons of society in the region. Imagery on coins can be seen as propaganda for the issuer/ruler, and King Cnut the Great, while a conqueror of England, wanted to be seen as a European monarch, not a pagan warlord.

There are exceptions to the rule, and one of them is a type struck both during the reign of Cnut and his son and successor, Harthacnut: The ‘Serpent Type'. Struck in Denmark at the end of Cnut's reign and into the reign of Harthacnut (most likely all of them by Harthacnut, who ruled during his father's absence in England), the type features a cross on one side and a coiled serpent on the other.

Not a traditional Christian symbol for good, one can speculate that Harthacnut may have introduced the pagan symbol to appease a warrior class that perhaps hadn't yet taken the new religion to heart. Perhaps they were tired of having this newfound fad pulled over their heads, while King Cnut was away in England and hadn't been back for more than 10 years. Who knows? It is telling, though, that we often see the Serpent Type Pennies with an unusual amount of peckmarks on the cross side, almost as if the Christian symbol needed to be destroyed.

Harthacnut did not continue minting coins with Norse symbols- quite the contrary, really. His types include the Agnus Dei type with the Lamb of God on one side and the dove on the other -as unambiguous a Christian a symbol as can be – and of course the cross adorns almost all his coin types. Perhaps this was just a "one-off" to appease a reluctant group, to allow some steam to be let out, to make sure he had the support of Christians and pagans alike when Cnut died. Further studies may bring us closer to the truth.

If you are interested in owning a Serpent Type Penny from Cnut or Harthacnut you're in luck. The fabled L. E. Bruun Collection has a whopping 38 of them, a few of which have already sold. But don't worry, there are plenty still available, including the pictured coin which will be offered in the September 2025 CCO Auction of Selections from the L. E. Bruun Collection. Visit StacksBowers.com for more information.

To read the complete article, see:
The Midgard Serpent (https://stacksbowers.com/the-midgard-serpent/)

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