In the later 7th century the Anglo-Saxons changed from using gold to silver coins. Their earliest silver coins are known today as sceattas. Struck between c 675 and c 750, they are thick dumpy little coins normally without anything written on them. In the late 700's the Anglo-Saxons started making thinner, broader coins which we call pennies. They usually name the king who issued them and the moneyer who was responsible for making them. Pennies like these were made in England for hundreds of years. Gold thrymsas like this are the earliest English coins issued after the Roman period. The '2 emperors' design is based on a Roman coin design.