Moneta Britannia 2011: Tony Abramson

"Roman influence on early Anglo Saxon Coinage"

Tony Abramson is a specialist in early Anglo-Saxon silver “sceats” (early pennies).

He graduated in economics from the University of Lancaster despite spending the entire duration of his degree course on the Student Council including a year on the University Finance Committee – probably the first elected student appointee to such a body. He then became a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and for the last twenty-five years has been involved with the very risky business of bringing new, resource-efficient, technologies to commercial fruition.

He initiated and continues to organise the biennial international symposia in early Anglo-Saxon coinage and is editor of the consequent publication Studies in Early-Anglo Saxon Coinage. His 2006 book, Sceattas: An Illustrated Guide, proved very popular amongst detectorists as a visual guide to the accurate identification of a complex coinage. This has been reinforced by many articles and talks on the subject. He is currently working on a revised classification of this vitally important but largely neglected coinage, which is heavy in Conversion Period iconography.

As a response to the volume of fakes being offered by electronic auctions, he has compiled a book on post-Roman, pre-Conquest counterfeits, listing over 1,200 forgeries and reproductions. It is hoped that this will be published shortly after a long delay in production.

The 2011 symposium in medieval coinage (i.e. post 973-reform), to be held as part of the Leeds International Medieval Congress, is an attempt to widen the application and understanding of numismatics and extend the audience to include medievalists and other interested parties. It is hoped that this autonomous symposium could become a regular feature within the broad context of the prestigious IMC.

Tony is a member of the Yorkshire and the British Numismatic Societies (and a former member of the Cambridgeshire & Royal NSs). He is a regular contributor to the Coin Register.

Bibliography

Books:

2006, 'Sceattas: An Illustrated Guide, Anglo-Saxon Coins and Icons', (Heritage, King's Lynn).

Forthcoming:

'Counterfeit Coins: post Roman - pre-Conquest'

'The Sceatta List'

SCBI Sylloge: 'The Abramson Collection of Early Anglo-Saxon Coins'

As Editor:

1997, 'Yorkshire Numismatist, vol. 3' (1997)

2008, 'Studies in Early Medieval Coinage, vol. 1', Proceedings of the International Sceatta Symposium and additional material, The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, April 2006 (Boydell and Brewer, Suffolk, ISBN 978-1-84383-371-0). Abbreviated to 'SiEMC1'.

Forthcoming:

'Studies in Early Medieval Coinage, vol. 2', Proceedings of the Early Medieval Coinage Symposium and additional material, Leeds International Medieval Congress, 8th July 2008 (Boydell and Brewer, Suffolk). Abbreviated to 'SiEMC2'.

Articles include:

1997, 'The Yorkshire Coiners, Yorkshire Numismatist, vol. 3, pp. 85-96.

2002, 'A second Wolf Head/Running Fledgling sceat', SNC 110, p. 335.

2008, 'Some New Types', SiEMC1, pp. 31-44.

2008, 'The Beowulf Collection', SiEMC1, pp. 125-154.

2008, 'The Patrick Finn Sceatta Index and Analysis: A Collector's Perspective', SiEMC1, pp. 155-196.

forthcoming, 'The Wim de Wit collection of sceattas in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge', SiEMC2.

forthcoming, 'BNJ Coin Register Sceatta Index', SiEMC2.

forthcoming, 'Early Medieval Numismatic Bibliography', SiEMC2.