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Look
closely and you will observe
that this isn't the usual Two
Wheels Type of Freckenham Flower
gold stater. This is a very rare
variant which has only one line
running across the wheel below
the horse. Moreover an important
point to note is that it did NOT
come from the hoard recently
found in Suffolk. No, this
specimen has a longer and more
impressive pedigree. It was
found in Saham Toney, Norfolk,
and was originally in the
collection of Henry Richard
Mossop, DFC, FRNS, born 10 June
1919, the youngest of three sons
of Samuel Septimus Mossop, a
solicitor of Holbeach,
Lincolnshire, where Dr William
Stukeley (1687-1765) the famous
antiquarian known as the
'Arch-Druid' was also born.
Educated at Uppingham public
school, Henry Mossop studied
farming at Writtle Agricultural
College in Essex, joined the
Royal Air Force Volunteer
Reserve in 1938 and learned how
to fly at Southend, where he
soon became known as 'The Flying
Farmer'. During World War II
Mossop flew thirty sorties with
50 Squadron as a mid-upper
gunner in Lancaster bombers. On
21 June 1944, during one of the
perilous 'Pathfinder' missions,
he was shot down over the Rhine
and imprisoned for a year in
Stalag Luft III. Mossop's
bravery won him the
Distinguished Flying Cross. His
celebrated collection of ancient
British coins was sold 6
November 1991. This Freckenham
stater is a superb pedigree
piece. Chris Rudd
January catalogue. 7.12.09 |
