William I Silver Bonnet Type Penny

William I Silver Bonnet Type Penny — London Mint, Moneyer Aegelric

Historic English Silver Coinage from the Conqueror’s Reign | Pay with Bitcoin & Crypto

Own a genuine silver penny struck during the reign of William the Conqueror — the Norman warrior who seized the English throne at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and reshaped the course of British history forever. Nearly a thousand years old, this coin was minted in London by the moneyer Aegelric and remains in remarkably good very fine condition. Now available for cryptocurrency at BitGolder.

The Coin

This is a Bonnet Type penny — one of several distinct coinage types issued during William I’s reign. The design takes its name from the distinctive crowned and diademed bust on the obverse, where the king faces forward wearing what appears as a bonnet-like crown with two fillets extending to the edge of the coin.

Obverse: Facing crowned and diademed bust with two fillets extending to the coin’s edge, surrounded by legend and beaded circles. The inscription +PILLELMV REXI translates as “William King.”

Reverse: A pellet in annulet at the centre of a voided cross, with terminals of pellet and crescent on each side and pellet-topped piles in the angles, surrounded by legend and beaded border. The inscription +ÆGELRIC ON LVN translates as “Aegelric of London” — identifying both the moneyer who struck the coin and the mint where it was produced.

Weight: 1.30g | Condition: Good Very Fine | Strike: Well centred | Rarity: Rare

The Man Who Changed England

Born around 1028 as the son of Robert I of Normandy and Herleva, William was a descendant of Rollo — the Viking chieftain who founded Normandy. He became Duke of Normandy in 1035 at just seven years old and spent decades fighting to secure his position, eventually consolidating power by 1060 and strengthening his hand further through marriage to Matilda of Flanders.

William’s claim to the English throne rested on his blood connection to Edward the Confessor — his first cousin once removed — and Edward’s alleged promise that William would succeed him. When Edward named Harold Godwinson as successor on his deathbed in January 1066, William considered it a betrayal, pointing to an earlier oath Harold had sworn over holy relics in his presence — a pivotal scene immortalized in the Bayeux Tapestry.

William assembled a formidable invasion force, crossed the English Channel, and landed at Pevensey Bay in September 1066. On 14th October, the two armies clashed at Senlac Hill near Battle, East Sussex. The fighting raged for most of the day. At one critical moment, a rumour swept through the Norman ranks that William had been killed — forcing him to remove his helmet and ride among his men to prove he still lived. The morale boost carried the Normans to victory. Harold fell — tradition holds he was struck by an arrow through the eye, though he may have been cut down by horsemen in the final assault.

William was crowned King of England in Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day 1066. Over the following decade, he constructed castles and fortifications across the country to cement Norman control. His most enduring legacy came in 1086 with the commissioning of the Domesday Book — a comprehensive survey of English land and its holders that remains one of the most remarkable administrative documents in history. William died in September 1087 during a campaign in northern France and was buried at Caen, leaving Normandy to his eldest son Robert Curthose and England to his next surviving son, William Rufus.

Why This Coin Matters

This penny was struck in London during one of the most transformative periods in English history. It was held, spent, and circulated by people living under the rule of the man who conquered England — a tangible connection to the events of 1066 and their aftermath. The well-centred strike, good very fine condition, and rarity of the Bonnet Type make this a significant piece for collectors of early English coinage and medieval history.

Coin Specifications

Why Buy Historic Coins with Bitcoin at BitGolder?

Coins from the reign of William the Conqueror rarely come to market in this condition. BitGolder gives collectors and history enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire genuine medieval English coinage using cryptocurrency — fast settlement, enhanced privacy, and a piece of history that has survived nearly a millennium.