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Raven Banner Penny
Coin of the Norse-Gael Olaf Sihtricson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The erroneously nicknamed "Raven Banner Penny", is a coin of the Norse-Gael Olaf Sihtricson, minted during his reign as the king of Jórvík between 941 and 944 AD (he later became the king of Dublin between 945-947 and 952-980 AD). The nickname stems from the coin's reverse image, which depicts a triangular banner (or vane) with a series of tassels or tabs running along the outer edge, which coincides with some descriptions of the raven banner, a viking war banner only known from description. Unlike the raven banner, however, the coin's banner features a cross instead of a raven.[1] The obverse image instead depict a triquetra.[1]
"Raven Banner Penny"
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History
Olaf Sihtricson, also called Amlaíb Cuarán (c. 927 – 981), was a 10th-century Norse-Gael who was King of Jórvík and Dublin. His byname, Cuarán, is usually translated as "sandal". He was the last of the Uí Ímair family to play a major part in the politics of the British Isles. The coins of Olaf Sihtricson were minted in the early 940s.[citation needed]
Legend and images
The obverse image features triquetra and the encircled legend: ANLAF CVNVNC (CUNUNG), meaning "Olaf King". For the title, the Nordic word CVNVNC (Old Norse: ᚴᚢᚾᚢᚾᚴ, kunung) has been used instead of the Latin and otherwise completely dominant REX title ("regent").[2] It is one of the earliest known surviving texts in Old Norse written in the Latin alphabet.[citation needed]
The reverse image features a banner with a cross[1] and the encircled legend: FARMAN MONETA (Latin for mint), meaning "Farman moneyer".[3] The banner was quite triangular, with a rounded outside edge on which there hung a series of tabs or tassels. The end of the banner pole featured another cross or possibly a trefoil.[1]
Banners were common war flags at the time and were used by various kings and other warlords during the 9th, 10th and 11th centuries.[1]
