Hermitage Museum, St Petersburn

This Sylloge volume reveals the splendour of the Hermitage Museum coin collection, one of the largest in the world. Some 1500 Anglo-Saxon coins from the eighth to early-11th centuries are catalogued. The majority are coins of Aethelred II, derived from Russian or Estonian hoards, but many earlier coins were acquired in famous auction sales of the 19th century. The 250 coins from before Edgar's reform, which are not generally found in northern Europe, were acquired from international dealers, including several famous auction sales of the 19th century. By contrast, most of the 1250 coins of Aethelred II derive from local Russian or Estonian hoards, the product of Viking-Age trading and tribute payments. The formation of the collection is described, and there is a synopsis of the finds that contain coins appearing in this and three subsequent Hermitage volumes.