Silver, 1.38 grams; 19.46 mm. PAXS Type, 1066 - 1087 A.D. Obverse: +PILLELM REX, crowned bust facing [crown type 1], holding sceptre. Reverse: +IEFFSI ON COLECE, Ælfsi at Colchester, around a Long cross with P A X S within circles, in angles within inner circle. Recorded with the Fitzwilliam Museum at Cambridge University as: EMC: 2008.0246. BMC VIII; S 1257. William the Conqueror continued to produce silver pennies to the same standard and fineness as his Anglo-Saxon predecessors. Very fine-good very fine. Ex. On old English collection. Only three examples of this moneyer at Colchester recorded on the Early Medieval Coin Corpus, plus this has an F for L legend error. SOLD

A leading expert at the Fitzwilliam Museum writes: "This is a coin of the Colchester moneyer Ælfsi, which seems to read +IEFFSI ON COLECE. The first F might be in error for an L."

Edward the Confessor attempted to gain Norman support by purportedly promising the throne to William in 1051. Before his death in 1066, however, Edward named Godwin's son, Harold, as heir to the crown. William was enraged and immediately prepared to invade. Harold Hardrada, the King of Norway, invaded England from the north. Harold Godwinson's forces marched north to defeat the Norse at Stamford Bridge on September 25, 1066. Two days after the battle, William landed unopposed at Pevensey. The victorious Harold, in an attempt to solidify his kingship, took the fight south to William and the Normans on October 14, 1066 at Hastings. After hours of holding firm against the Normans, the tired English forces finally succumbed to the onslaught.