A rare coin dating back to the eighth century discovered by a metal detector fan in the middle of a field could fetch up to £12,000 ($15,400) at auction.
The Anglo-Saxon penny, which is more than 1,200-year-old, was found by a car salesman searching for artefacts and treasures in a farmer's field in Sheldwich, Faversham, Kent
Rare Anglo-Saxon penny spotted by a car salesman, 53, in a Faversham field could fetch up to £12,000 at auction
Penny bears the name of Jænberht, the Archbishop of Canterbury at the time
Car salesman Ronnie Carlile initially thought the coin was a button
It is the second known coin of its time to have the name of the Archbishop on it
Coin is extremely rare relic of a brief period when Kent re-asserted its independence at the Battle of Otford, near Sevenoaks, in 776
By Phoebe Weston For Mailonline
12 May 2017
A rare coin dating back to the eighth century discovered by a metal detector fan in the middle of a field could fetch up to £12,000 ($15,400) at auction.
The Anglo-Saxon penny, which is more than 1,200-year-old, was found by a car salesman searching for artefacts and treasures in a farmer's field in Sheldwich, Faversham, Kent.
It bears the name of an early Archbishop of Canterbury and is only the second of its kind known to be in existence.
The Anglo-Saxon penny bears the name of an early Archbishop of Canterbury and is only the second of its kind known to be in existence and could fetch £12,000 ($15,400) at auction
It was found by 53-year-old Ronnie Carlile during a metal detectorists' rally last September and is now being auctioned by international coins specialists Dix Noonan Webb.
Initially the car salesman thought the coin was a button.
'It was just a few inches below the surface and at first I thought it was a button because I had already found quite a few of those', said Mr Carlile, who lives in Biggin Hill.
'It wasn't until I took it back to the finds tent that I realised it was a coin and it was found to be Anglo-Saxon.'
The full importance of the coin did not become apparent until it was examined by experts at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.
The penny bears the name of Jænberht, who was Archbishop of Canterbury from 765 to 792.
Mr Carlile said: 'It was a shock to be honest. It is the rarest thing that I have ever found.'
It is only the second known coin of its time to have the name of the Archbishop on it instead of Offa, the King of the powerful kingdom of Mercia.
Offa was seeking to extend his control over much of the rest of what is now England at the time.
In the 760s and 770s, Kent was still an independent kingdom with two kings reigning jointly - Heaberht from 765 and Ecgberht II between 775 and 779.
The Anglo-Saxon penny was found by a car salesman searching for artefacts and treasures in a farmer's field in Sheldwich, Faversham
The coin was found by car salesman Ronnie Carlile (pictured) during a metal detectorists' rally last September and is now being auctioned by an international coins specialist
Offa, the king of the powerful Mercian kingdom, increasingly threatened Kent's independence as he sought to extend his kingdom over East Anglia, Wessex and Kent.
This led to the Batte of Otford in 776 which the inhabitants of Kent won.
Offa and Ecgberht II had a working relationship until 780 after which point the Mercians asserted overlordship of Kent.
Jænberht was Archbishop of Canterbury at the time and inevitably had an uneasy relationship with Offa.
The auction is on June 14 in London.
Mr Carlile will split the proceeds of the sale with the owner of the field.
Read more: Rare Anglo-Saxon penny found by car salesman | Daily Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
The Anglo-Saxon penny, which is more than 1,200-year-old, was found by a car salesman searching for artefacts and treasures in a farmer's field in Sheldwich, Faversham, Kent
Rare Anglo-Saxon penny spotted by a car salesman, 53, in a Faversham field could fetch up to £12,000 at auction
Penny bears the name of Jænberht, the Archbishop of Canterbury at the time
Car salesman Ronnie Carlile initially thought the coin was a button
It is the second known coin of its time to have the name of the Archbishop on it
Coin is extremely rare relic of a brief period when Kent re-asserted its independence at the Battle of Otford, near Sevenoaks, in 776
By Phoebe Weston For Mailonline
12 May 2017
A rare coin dating back to the eighth century discovered by a metal detector fan in the middle of a field could fetch up to £12,000 ($15,400) at auction.
The Anglo-Saxon penny, which is more than 1,200-year-old, was found by a car salesman searching for artefacts and treasures in a farmer's field in Sheldwich, Faversham, Kent.
It bears the name of an early Archbishop of Canterbury and is only the second of its kind known to be in existence.
The Anglo-Saxon penny bears the name of an early Archbishop of Canterbury and is only the second of its kind known to be in existence and could fetch £12,000 ($15,400) at auction
It was found by 53-year-old Ronnie Carlile during a metal detectorists' rally last September and is now being auctioned by international coins specialists Dix Noonan Webb.
Initially the car salesman thought the coin was a button.
'It was just a few inches below the surface and at first I thought it was a button because I had already found quite a few of those', said Mr Carlile, who lives in Biggin Hill.
'It wasn't until I took it back to the finds tent that I realised it was a coin and it was found to be Anglo-Saxon.'
The full importance of the coin did not become apparent until it was examined by experts at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.
The penny bears the name of Jænberht, who was Archbishop of Canterbury from 765 to 792.
Mr Carlile said: 'It was a shock to be honest. It is the rarest thing that I have ever found.'
It is only the second known coin of its time to have the name of the Archbishop on it instead of Offa, the King of the powerful kingdom of Mercia.
Offa was seeking to extend his control over much of the rest of what is now England at the time.
In the 760s and 770s, Kent was still an independent kingdom with two kings reigning jointly - Heaberht from 765 and Ecgberht II between 775 and 779.
The Anglo-Saxon penny was found by a car salesman searching for artefacts and treasures in a farmer's field in Sheldwich, Faversham
The coin was found by car salesman Ronnie Carlile (pictured) during a metal detectorists' rally last September and is now being auctioned by an international coins specialist
Offa, the king of the powerful Mercian kingdom, increasingly threatened Kent's independence as he sought to extend his kingdom over East Anglia, Wessex and Kent.
This led to the Batte of Otford in 776 which the inhabitants of Kent won.
Offa and Ecgberht II had a working relationship until 780 after which point the Mercians asserted overlordship of Kent.
Jænberht was Archbishop of Canterbury at the time and inevitably had an uneasy relationship with Offa.
The auction is on June 14 in London.
Mr Carlile will split the proceeds of the sale with the owner of the field.
Read more: Rare Anglo-Saxon penny found by car salesman | Daily Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
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