Shire Post Mint

Makers of Comemmorative and Fantasy Coins
based on History, Mythology and Fiction
brings you:

The VINLAND coinage of Leif Eiricsson!

Here is a coin that might-have-been! As we all know from our history books, the Greenlander Leif Ericsson, son of Eric the Red led a colonizing expedition in AD 1000, sailing west from Iceland and Greenland and establishing a colony he called "Vinland" on what is now thought to be the coast of modern-day Newfoundland or New Brunswick. Just before his departure, Leif was forced to convert from paganism to Christianity on pain of death by Norwegian King Olav Trygvasson. The colony was ill-fated however, with troublesome weather and problems with the natives, and the starving colonists abandoned it after just a few of years, spelling the end of European influence in the new world for another half millenium. Click here to view some more detailed information about Leif. The obverse shows Leif in a Viking helm (witout horns!) holding a sceptre, and with the inscription LEIF EIRICSSON (the old spelling). The reverse is a classic cross of double-lines (guides to cutting the coin into quarters) with the text VINLANDMONETA (trans: Vinland Money) Note that the text terminator on the inscriptions is a "Hammer of Thor". There are two particularly interesting things about the design of this coin. The traditional text terminator for coins of a Christian country would be a cross, and the traditional object held by a royal subject would be an axe. The fact that Leif chose the sceptre and hammer would indicate that he planned rebellion against King Olav! In our romanticized version of the story... Leif was simply livid with King Olafur Tryggvason about the forced religious conversion... and had a hoard of coins secretly made up, planning to set up his own independant pagan kingdom far away. But the colony had troubles and never grew to the point where money was needed. Then when disaster struck and they had to abandon it, (and lacking resources to remelt them)... Leif wisely chose to bury the entire hoard rather than bring back hard evidence of his own rebellious intent... which brings us to recent times. A digger on an obscure archaeological expedition to New Brunswick in 1923 came across the hoard under a rune-marked stone in a rotting leather bag and was overcome with greed from the splendor of the find, secretly keeping them to himself. Scared of the publicity and ashamed of himself for what he had done, he kept the hoard intact and never sold or showed any of them. After his death his heirs, retired themselves and living now in Arkansas, contacted me discreetly and I was able to purchase the entire never-used hoard no-questions asked. This silver penny weighs about 2.5 grammes of 90% silver, is about 19mm in diameter, and is done in the classic style of 10th century Viking coinage. The condition of the is EF+ (extremely fine plus) with a delicate toning and bright highlights.
This coin is also available in copper.

If you would like to purchase one of these coins, you may CLICK HERE to go directly to the correct category at the secure Shire Post online store. Dealer inquiries invited. These pieces can also be fitted as pendants, tie-tacks, or clothing buttons.

The ULLR coinage of Vinland!
Bronze
Here is a bronze coin sruck to honor the Norse god ULLR (pronounced "oo-ler") who is the patron of archers and skiiers, and the bringer of snow. The obverse shows Ullr in classic pose, on skis with bow and arrow in hand. The reverse is a cross of double-lines (guides to cutting the coin into quarters) with the text VINLANDMONETA (trans: Vinland Money) Note that the text terminator on the inscription is a "Hammer of Thor". This copper-colored bronze penny weighs about 3.1 grammes of  copper-bronze (95% Cu, 5% Zn). It is about 21 mm in diameter (about 7/8 inch), and is done in the classic style of 10th century Viking coinage with the same reverse as the Leif Eiricsson piece above. This piece was cold-struck between hand-engraved steel dies. The engraver's work is of the highest order... this is not computer controlled die work but old-world craftsmanship at its best. Note that the edge is slightly bulging due to the uneven spread of the flan under the force of five successive blows from a 50 ton percussion press, therefore, no two are exactly alike. The condition of the is EF+ (extremely fine plus) with a delicate oxidized toning in the low areas and bright highlights. Keeping an ULLR penny in your pocket on cold-weather journeys is considered good luck!

If you would like to purchase one of these coins, you may CLICK HERE to go directly to the correct category at the secure Shire Post online store. Dealer inquiries invited. These pieces can also be fitted as pendants, tie-tacks, or clothing buttons.


Silver
Here is a silver coin sruck to honor the Norse god ULLR (pronounced "oo-ler") who is the patron of archers and skiiers, and the bringer of snow. The obverse shows Ullr in classic pose, on skis with bow and arrow in hand. The reverse is a cross of double-lines (guides to cutting the coin into quarters) with the text VINLANDMONETA (trans: Vinland Money) Note that the text terminator on the inscription is a "Hammer of Thor". This silver penny weighs about 2.4 grammes of coin-silver (90% Ag, 10% Cu) it is about 19 mm in diameter (about 3/4 inch), and is done in the classic style of 10th century Viking coinage. This piece was NOT cast, but was struck between hand-engraved steel dies. The engraver's work is of the highest order... this is not computer controlled die work but old-world craftsmanship at its best. Note that the edge is slightly bulging due to the uneven spread of the flan under the force of five successive blows from a 50 ton percussion press, therefore, no two are exactly alike. The condition of the is EF+ (extremely fine plus) with a delicate oxidized toning in the low areas and bright highlights.

If you would like to purchase one of these coins, you may CLICK HERE to go directly to the correct category at the secure Shire Post online store. Dealer inquiries invited. These pieces can also be fitted as pendants, tie-tacks, or clothing buttons.


Tom Maringer: MintMaster
contact:  maringer@arkansas.net


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            We hope you enjoy perusing this site! Shire Post is devoted to the premise that fantasy is a useful tool in growing our own personalites. We dream of far away places and better times and imagine ourselves in heroic pursuits, and somehow this fantasizing makes us better people in real life, if we internalize the lessons. It further seems that small everyday objects, like coins and stamps and letters from friends, can bolster our "sense of place" and transport us more fully into these realms of thought.