How the Reform Penny Unified Anglo-Saxon England

In the late 10th century, King Edgar and Archbishop Dunstan introduced a revolutionary new coinage—the Reform Penny—that transformed England's economy and helped unify the kingdom. This episode explores how the standardized silver penny, with its distinctive cross-and-crosslets design, replaced a chaotic mix of local currencies. We trace the coin's production across dozens of mints, each overseen by a royal moneyer, and its role in promoting trade and royal authority. Discover the evidence from hoards like the Blythburgh Hoard, which reveals how widely these coins circulated, and learn about the sophisticated system of trial plates and weight checks that kept the coinage honest. Lucas and Luna also discuss the political genius behind the reform—how Edgar used a single currency to bind his diverse subjects together, from Wessex to the Danelaw. A fascinating look at how money shaped the birth of England. #ReformPenny #EdgarThePeaceable #AngloSaxonEngland #CoinageReform #BlythburghHoard #CuerdaleHoard #Dunstan #Moneyers #CrossAndCrosslets #TenthCentury #EnglishEconomy #Numismatics #MedievalHistory #BritishHistory #FexingoHistory #History #Podcast #England Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo