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King Alfred ('The Great')

1 of 10295 portraits matching these criteria:

- subject matching 'In profile'

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King Alfred ('The Great')

by Unknown artist
silver penny, circa 887
3/4 in. (19 mm) diameter
Purchased, 1962
Primary Collection
NPG 4269

On display in Room 16 at the National Portrait Gallery

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In the Anglo-Saxon era, portraits on coins were intended as emblems of kingship rather than individual likenesses. However, they demonstrate how leaders could reinforce their claim to rule by disseminating their own image on objects that were used and exchanged on a daily basis. The ruler’s portrait also provided confidence in the legitimacy of the coinage.

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