Editing Edward the Martyr (section)

=== Coinage ===
[[File:EdwardMartyr.gif|thumb|[[Obverse and reverse|Obverse]] of a penny of Edward the Martyr produced at [[Stamford, Lincolnshire|Stamford]] by the coiner Wulfgar{{sfn|Naismith|2017|pp=732–733 (coin 1777)}}]]

The only coin in common use in late Anglo-Saxon England was the silver [[History of the English penny (c. 600 – 1066)|penny]].{{sfn|Naismith|2021|p=386}} Until late in Edgar's reign, pennies produced by mints in different towns varied in design, weight and [[fineness]] (silver content). In the early 970s, he brought in his reform coinage, with a single design and much greater uniformity of weight and fineness. The coins, with a design called the ''Small Cross'' type, had a left-facing bust of the King on the [[obverse]] surrounded by a circle with the King's name (+EADGAR REX ANGLOR[UM]) around the edge. The reverse had a small cross in the centre with the moneyer's name and mint-place around the edge. Edgar's reform design was the sole coin type produced during Edward's reign, and it was replaced early in Æthelred's reign.{{sfn|Naismith|2017|pp=260–261, 732–733}}

Edward's coins were on average slightly lighter than those of Edgar and heavier than those of Æthelred.{{sfn|Naismith|2017|p=249}} The fineness was high and uniform following Edgar's reform at 96%, and this was maintained under Edward apart from a few slightly less fine coins produced in Lincoln and York. After Edward's death, fineness became more variable.{{sfn|Naismith|2017|p=252}} During Edgar's reign, dies for coins were almost all cut at one centre, probably [[Winchester]], and distributed from there to other mints across the kingdom. Under Edward, the centre supplied a far smaller number of mints and it was supplemented by regional die-cutting centres. This may have been due to the difficult political situation in his reign.{{sfn|Naismith|2017|p=261}}