Anglo-Saxon sceattas: the primary and secondary series

Sceattas (singular sceat) are small silver pennies struck in England and the southern North Sea coast between roughly AD 680 and 760. They’re fiddly little things — 10 to 13 mm across, less than a gram — and they tend to baffle detectorists on first encounter because they don’t carry a king’s name. The series-letter system that classifies them looks more intimidating than it really is. Once you’ve seen a handful, they’re easy to place.

Phases and dates

Sceatta scholarship divides the series into four broad phases:

• Primary(c.680–710) — the earliest issues, still close to late Merovingian style. Series A, B, C, D, F.
• Intermediate(c.710–725) — transitional; Series E begins, plus G.
• Secondary(c.725–750) — the most varied phase; H, J, K, L, M, N, O, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z.
• Final(c.750–760) — before the broad penny of Offa replaces the sceat.

The four sceattas you’re actually likely to dig

UK sceat finds skew heavily towards four series. Get familiar with these and you’ll recognise the majority of what comes up:

Series E — “porcupines” (c.700–725)

The single most common sceat found in Britain. Continental in origin (Frisian) but imported in vast numbers. The obverse shows what looks like a curved beaded line with radiating spikes — hence “porcupine”. The reverse is a rectangular standard with pellets, sometimes Y-shaped figures.

• Obverse: porcupine head — a backward-curving beaded crescent with radiating strokes.
• Reverse: rectangular standard with pellets and small symbols.
• Module 11–13 mm, weight 0.9–1.2 g.
• UK finds widespread, particularly east and south-east England.

Series X — “Wodan/monster” (c.710–720)

Another Continental import, struck at Ribe in Denmark. The obverse has an unmistakeable bearded facing bust with crosses on either side— the “Wodan head”. The reverse shows a curled, right-facing sea-monster (often called a dragon).

Series K — the London wolf (c.710–720)

Struck around London and the Thames Valley. The diagnostic feature is the reverse: a coiled wolf with curled tongue facing right. The obverse usually has a diademed bust right with a cross in front.

Series R — East Anglian runics (c.720–750)

Struck in East Anglia. The obverse carries a runic name — EPA, WIGRAED, TILBERHTare the most common. Reverse: standard with pellets. If you can see clearly Germanic-looking letters that don’t look like Latin, you’re probably looking at runes, and probably looking at Series R.

The full series-letter table

Quick identification flow

1. Porcupine obverse(radiating strokes from a curved line)? → Series E.
2. Bearded Wodan head with crosses each side? → Series X.
3. Two standing figures with cross between them? → Series N (East Anglian).
4. Coiled wolf with curled tongue righton reverse? → Series K (London).
5. Runic legend on obverse? → Series R if EPA / WIGRAED / TILBERHT readable; Series A, C or T otherwise.
6. Named king EADBERHTin the legend? → Series Y (Northumbria, first named-king sceattas).
7. Bird-and-tree reversewith diademed bust? → Series B (Kent).

Sceattas vs everything else they get confused with

Northumbrian stycas — the close cousin

Stycas were struck in Northumbria from the 830s to the 860s — small (~13 mm) bronze coins replacing the earlier silver sceattas in that kingdom. They commonly carry the names of Northumbrian kings (Eanred, Æthelred II, Redwulf, Osberht) and the moneyer’s name. If your “sceat” turns out to be bronze rather than silver, and you can read a king’s name on it, it’s a styca.