Ian Cnulle

Ian Cnulle, The Moneyer of Silberbyrg

Persona history (synopsis):

(Note: Ian is pronounced ‘yawn’ - which is what people do before getting to the explanation of why it’s not ‘ee-an’ in the full text [6.5 pages] of my persona history.)

born in 1265 the second son of a tenant of Knill Manor (13th century spelling = ‘Cnulle’, from Welsh Kenele = clump of oak trees) in the Hindwell River valley in Hereford on the Welsh border. learned letters and counting from the local parish priest. undertook a pilgrimage to Canterbury at age sixteen. waylaid on the way by robbers near London. sought employment in the Port of London and, ‘by a curious set of chances/ such as only happens in romances’ shipped out on a Hansa cog homeward bound for Hamburg. aboard ship, met passenger David of Holland, an itinerant moneyer, who accepted me as an apprentice. worked as an apprentice in Hamburg and Brussel, learning die-cutting in the latter mint. worked at English mints in Calais and Bayonne. At a career turning point, I sought the source of citrus fruit (long story) in Spain, traveling through Castilla, Aragon, and Valencia before reaching Granada. At last overcome by homesickness, I took passage at Malaga in a Genoese ship bound for Bayonne and then England. Once in the open ocean, we were beset by a terrible tempest that blew us off course (you wouldn’t believe how faaaar off course), at last coming to land in An Tir. Finding the local coinage in a barbarous state, I resolved to make my home here and to amend the coinage situation.

SCA vita:

- first participation: Terra Pomaria ‘Open Castle’ in August 1989

- first event: Terra Pomaria Autumn Ball in October 1989 (A.S. 24)

- my first coin minted was issued at “ ” “ “ ” “

- made Journeyman of the Moneyers’ Guild of the West at An Tir/West War A.S. 26

- began training first moneying apprentice in An Tir (Wilhelm Dogget of Windy Vale), Fall A.S.26

- recognized as ‘guildmaster in An Tir’ by the MGW at AT/WW A.S.27

- petition for incipient status of Moneyers’ Guild of An Tir accepted at May Crown A.S.28

- received Goutte de Sangre at May Crown A.S.28 - made Master of the MGW at An Tir/West War A.S.28

- received Royal Commission as ‘Moneyer to Kings’ at AT/WW A.S. 28

- personal device and Moneyers’ ‘goat’ badge passed by College of Heralds, early A.S.29

- began minting and issuing as money changer the copper follis of St. Hildegard $1 trade coins (“barak bucks”) at second Festival of St. Hildegard in June A.S.29

- as money changer, began issuing king head silver penny $4 coin at Ducal War A.S. 29

- Moneyers’ Guild of An Tir officially chartered (and badge transferred to Crown) at September Crown A.S. 29 - making me officially Minister of the M.G.o A.T.

- introduced ‘fleur d’argent’ silver 2 penny ($8) trade coin at third Festival of St. Hildegard, June A.S. 30

- introduced ‘Byzantine style’ gold (‘light’) tremissis $20 trade coin at AT/WW A.S.30

- introduced gold florin $50 trade coin (as well as the second of ultimately 44 design types of the St. Hildegard follis) at Thirtieth Year Celebration, June A.S. 31

- engraved new matrix for Kingdom Great Seal, May A.S. 32

- introduced ‘Axumite’ style gold (‘heavy’) tremissis $20 trade coin, summer A.S. 32

- introduced silver groat ($16 trade coin) [no longer issuing gold trade coins] A.S. 39

- replaced St. Hildegard coppers with actual medieval Chinese coins, and replaced silver trade coins with medieval style Chinese paper money A.S. 40

- retired from serving as money changer at the end of A.S. 41

- elevated to the Laurel at September Crown, A.S. 43

- surrendered Royal Charter of the Moneyer’s Guild of An Tir at July Coronation A.S 44

- still minting and teaching as a Fellow of the Inter Kingdom Moneyers' Guild

Mottos:

“In meiner munz, schlag Ich gericht!” (‘In my mint, I strike rightly’ - from a 16th century German poetic description of various trades) - favored in my early career.

“Nil desperandum” (‘despairing nothing’ - the motto of a distant parallel branch of my maternal grandfather’s family [Knill] listed in Burke’s Peerage)

“None panicate!” (Latin for “Don’t panic” - in big friendly letters) - my favorite since A.S. 42.