Megan Gooch
Money and Power in the Viking Kingdom of York, c.895-954
Megan's PhD research aims to further understand the Viking kings of York through the coins they made. Having worked and researched in numismatics for many years, she is interested in the use of coins as a historical source and using numismatic tools to understand historical problems.
Her research focuses on how the Viking leaders used coin designs to legitimise their rule in York and consolidate their power, and how far changes in coin iconography can inform us about Viking leadership. It also looks at how far these coin images would have been seen by the population of Viking York by examining how many coins were made, how they circulated and where they were used and deposited.
Wider Interests
Megan's wider interests are the coinage of Britain and medieval Europe. At the moment she is working on a project to research the history of the Royal Mint at the Tower of London (c.1279-1812), and understand how coins were made and the social impact of coin production on mint workers.
Publications
- 'Viking Kings, Political Power and Monetisation', in Studies in Early Medieval Coinage, Volume II, ed. by T. Abramsom (Woodbridge: Boydell, 2010), pp.113-121.
- 'Notes on the Swordless St Peter Coinage', Numismatic Circular CXV, 4 (2007), p.208
- 'A Seventeenth Agnus Dei Penny of Aethelred II', Numismatic Circular CXV, 6 (2007), p.308
Select Research Papers
- 'Vikings and Churchmen: Coinage in Tenth Century York', British Numismatic Society, London (April 2011)
- 'The Vikings in England: The Evidence of the Coins', COINS 10, Conference in St Petersburg, Russia (June 2010)
- 'Viking Kings, Political Power and Monetisation', Royal Numismatic Society, London (January 2010)
- 'Viking Kings, Political Power, and Monetisation', International Medieval Congress, Leeds (July 2008)
Other projects
- Mint Street Project Curator, Historic Royal Palaces, Tower of London, 2010 to present
- HSBC Money Gallery Development Curator, British Museum, 2008 to 2010
- Coin Specialist, Spink, 2005 to 2008
- Editor of the Money and Medals Newsletter, 2009 to present
- Editorial team for ICOMON Proceedings, Utrecht, 2008
Organised and raised funding for
- BANS Autumn Weekend 2011, Cardiff University, 3-5th Sept 2011
- BANS Autumn Weekend 2010, Nottingham University, 10-12th Sept 2010
- Money & Medals Network Forum, British Museum, London, 18th May 2010
Displays in the HSBC Money Gallery, British Museum:
- The Lamb of God in Medieval Europe', 2010'
- 'Time is Money: Robert Owen and the Labour Exchange Movement', 2009
Supervisor