Anglo-Saxon coins
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how archaeologists and historians have used Anglo-Saxon coins to infer things about life in Anglo-Saxon Britain.
Key learning points
- All the coins found at Sutton Hoo were Frankish, showing how well connected Kent and East Anglia were to Europe.
- Roman influence continued: Offa made coins making him look like an Emperor with Romulus, Remus and a wolf on the back!
- Whilst major towns collapsed after the Romans left, evidence of coins suggested they grew again under the Anglo-Saxons.
- Anglo-Saxon kings such as Offa began to mint their own coins at growing towns in places like London and Canterbury.
- These, along with lots of pottery, show how towns grew due to the increasing wealth and trade in Anglo-Saxon Britain.
Keywords
Franks - the Franks were a Germanic tribe that were very powerful in early medieval Europe, particularly in modern-day France
Mint - to mint means to make a coin by stamping metal; it can also be used as a noun to describe where coins are made
Pottery - pottery refers to objects made of clay that are shaped and then fired at high temperatures to harden them
Common misconception
Pupils may believe that Offa was the only Anglo-Saxon king to mint coins.
Offa was the first, but other kings minted coins with their head on too. The Archbishop of Canterbury has also been found on coins as well as Offa's queen: Cynethryth.
Teacher tip
Pupils could design their own coin with their head on or other images or phrases that represent them. They could add labels explaining their choices.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Complete the sentence: The of Anglo-Saxon women have various objects that give clues about their lives and status.
Q2.Which statements relate to the discovery of domestic items in female graves?
Q3.What are girdle-hangers?
Q4.What was the brooch found in an Anglo-Saxon female grave made of?
Q5.How do historians know that women could be seen as important in Anglo-Saxon society?
Q6.What word means 'to represent or stand for something else'?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What was the name of the Germanic tribe that were very powerful in early medieval Europe?
Q2.Complete the sentence: The found at Sutton Hoo suggest there were links between the Franks and the Anglo-Saxons.
Q3.Which of the below relates to the meaning of 'mint'?
Q4.Who was the first Anglo-Saxon ruler to put his head on a coin?
Q5.What did archaeologists find with the coins to show that wealth grew in Anglo-Saxon Britain?
Q6.What, aside from wealth, did the discovery of coins and pottery show that grew during Anglo-Saxon Britain?
To help you plan your 5 history lesson on: Anglo-Saxon coins, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 5 history lesson on: Anglo-Saxon coins, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 history lessons from the The Anglo-Saxons: how do we know about life in Anglo-Saxon England? unit, dive into the full primary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.