Sceat Saltire-standard, Type 70

Type 70 sceattas belong to the so-called "Secondary" series, produced after the initial high-silver issues of the late seventh century had given way to progressively debased billon fabric. The saltire-standard types cluster in the first half of the eighth century, a period when Anglo-Saxon England had no unified monetary authority — individual moneyers, monasteries, and regional powers all struck to their own commercial needs. Metcalf's die-linkage studies suggest relatively low production volumes for this specific type, and the lightweight fabric of surviving examples reflects the general silver drain affecting English coinage during this period.