It may have been during Æthelberht's reign that the first coins were minted in England since the departure of the Romans: none bear his name, but it is thought likely that the first coins predate the end of the sixth century. These early coins were gold, and probably were the shillings ( in Old English) that are mentioned in Æthelberht's laws. The coins are also known to numismatists as "thrymsas".