Affordable, official and eye-catching, this historic British legal tender coin from the Royal Mint marks 1,150 years since Alfred the Great became king.

Known for his military glories and visionary cultural reforms, Alfred the Great is one of the most influential monarchs in British history. Born circa 848AD, Alfred reigned as King of the West Saxons from 871AD to 886AD, and King of the Anglo-Saxons from 886AD to 899AD. Alfred ruled during a tumultuous period in English history, when Viking raids were commonplace. Intelligent, dutiful and fair, Alfred was the only leader capable of achieving peace after years of turmoil, and he exploited this period to pave the way for many changes that shaped the nation and monarchy forever.