Post your latest medieval!

[Paddy54]

[JeandAcre]

Here's one I haven't done enough research on to feel good about posting it.  ...But it'll do.  I'm just home from work, and will shamelessly cut to the chase and resort to the the attribution from the Numismatik Naumann listing.

GERMANY. Regensburg. Konrad I (1126-1132). Pfennig.

Obv: Crowned bust left, holding sceptre.
Rev: Two busts facing each other, holding crosier between them.

Emmerig 49.

I've been collecting Salian (11th -early 12th c.) German denars (/pfennigs) for the past couple of years.  It started out as a brand new subseries, and frankly, I'm still playing catch-up with the background history, never mind the numismatics.  Which is frankly fun, by way of broadening one's horizons ...when I get an honest minute to do any of the research! 

The period runs to imperial issues (including nominally royal ones, in the names of heirs), complemented by episcopal ones (including coissues with the emperors), and a relative smattering of secular feudal ones (comparable to contemporary Iberian dineros).

Konrad, the Archbishop of Salzburg from 1106 to his death in 1147, is interesting for having been politically active during the extended transition from the Salian imperial dynasty to the Hohenstaufen, who gave us Friedrich Barbarossa in the second half of the 12th century.  Over the full course of his career, he was a later contemporary and protege of Heinrichs IV and V (d. 1125), the last two Salians.  

On Heinrich V's death, the German electors (essentially the principal dukes and bishops) opted for Lothar III, who became King of the Germans from 1125 and Emperor from 1133-1137.  Lothar (for one, the heir of the Billung duchy of Saxony) was as prominent as he was powerful, but had no lineal connection to the Salians.  The electors chose him above Friedrich II, the Staufen Duke of Swabia, who did have lineal Salian descent, but was unpopular.  Eventually, his son, Friedrich Barbarossa eventually won out, being elected 'King of the Romans' (/Germany) in 1152.  Meanwhile, though, Konrad, for one, supported the election of Lothar.

...But beyond the political context, I like this as a somewhat late example of the funly elaborate German denars /pfennigs from the 11th century into the Hohenstaufen period.  I like how the engravers could fit such detailed motifs onto such small modules (this one is 20 mm, which is a little larger than the run of them).  As I've had occasion to say before, one could only wish that the striking did better justice to the engraving.

Edited September 15, 2023 by JeandAcre
Let me count the ways....

[Coinmaster]

Very nice! The sceptre is a lily sceptre. One of the two people on the reverse is a bishop (who?). The other one seems not the emperor as he wears no crown. So who is this and what is the image telling? Some kind of pact, alliance or treaty?

[JeandAcre]

Hi Coinmaster,

Thank you, I think you 'nailed' the motifs, and can only guess that the bishop is Konrad.  Relative to the date of this issue, from Regensberg, the most obvious candidate for the (king or) emperor would be Heinrich V.

But --as is often the case, from here-- Naumann's citation is summarily, proscriptively arcane.  For references, the nearest I have in print is Kluge's remarkably comprehensive book on the Salian period --which doesn't extend this late-- complemented only by (well, acsearch and) Dannenberg.  The latter only in .pdf --which, after a day's work, makes my eyes water.

It would be wonderful to have any reconstruction of the legends, including a partial one.  But even among established German dealers, for anything of this period, many don't bother with an attempt.

...Ultimately, one must enjoy the element of mystery for its own sake.  In America, this is sometimes stereotypically characterized as a French esthetic.  I can't confirm that, but (-->Americanism alert:) I can get some traction with it, regardless.

Edited September 15, 2023 by JeandAcre

[Coinmaster]

Aha! Yes, these coins and the history is most interesting. Perhaps this site is helpful: https://www.mittelaltermuenzen.com/the-coins. 👍🏻

[JeandAcre]

BRILLIANT website, @Coinmaster!!!  Huge thanks.  Bookmarked.  ...And I gotta get out the door for work :<{

[JeandAcre]

...And the coin the website uses (so far) to represent Regensberg is this very issue (and a better example)!  Brilliant as it is, it looks to be a 'work in progress.'  I'd dearly love to eventually see more detail for each entry, including legends and references.  But as a work in progress, Bravo!

[Coinmaster]

I know the person who build this website. Let me know if you want to contact him. 👍🏻

[expat]

My only Islamic coin from th Medieval period.

Islamic AE Fals 21mm, 4.06g
Seljuqs of Rum, Kaykhusraw II b. Kayqubad. 1236-1245, Attribution ref: Album #1220
Left image, the Kalima reads; "there is no god but / Allah; Muhammad / is the apostle of Allah"
Right image reads; "the sultan the very great / Kaykhusraw / bin Kayqubad"

Ghiyath al-Din Kaykhusraw ibn Kayqubād or Kaykhusraw II was the sultan of the Seljuqs of Rûm from 1237 until his death in 1246. He ruled at the time of the Babai uprising and the Mongol invasion of Anatolia. He led the Seljuq army with its Christian allies at the Battle of Köse Dağ in 1243.

 

[Prieure de Sion]

 
Rudolf of Habsburg, 1273-1291; Ravensburg Royal Mint; bracteate circa 1275. Three-towered building, star in the archway. excellent, beautiful patina. Cahn 208.

I received this beautiful bracteate. Description by the seller, untested.

[Ursus]

3 hours ago, Prieure de Sion said:

Rudolf of Habsburg, 1273-1291; Ravensburg Royal Mint; bracteate circa 1275. Three-towered building, star in the archway. excellent, beautiful patina. Cahn 208.

I received this beautiful bracteate. Description by the seller, untested.

The type should probably be dated a bit earlier since it appears in the Elchenreute hoard, which was deposited in the 1280s. The Bonhoff catalogue attributes it to the reign of Konrad IV in 1250–1254, Berger is a bit more careful and only dates this and a number of similar types to after 1250.  Here is the relevant entry from Berger:

[JeandAcre]

12 hours ago, Coinmaster said:

I know the person who build this website. Let me know if you want to contact him. 👍🏻

@Coinmaster, I'm on my way to work, but I made a note to write you about this in 'Messages.'  Many thanks!

[Prieure de Sion]

8 hours ago, Ursus said:

The type should probably be dated a bit earlier since it appears in the Elchenreute hoard, which was deposited in the 1280s. The Bonhoff catalogue attributes it to the reign of Konrad IV in 1250–1254, Berger is a bit more careful and only dates this and a number of similar types to after 1250.  Here is the relevant entry from Berger:

Thanks for that useful informations!

[seth77]

On 9/15/2023 at 11:10 AM, Coinmaster said:

Aha! Yes, these coins and the history is most interesting. Perhaps this site is helpful: https://www.mittelaltermuenzen.com/the-coins. 👍🏻

Terrific site!

[Prieure de Sion]

Crusaders. Chios. Maona Society AD 1400-1413. Imitating Venice issue of Andrea Dandolo. Ducat AV. 21 mm, 3,50 g. Doge kneeling left, holding staff and being blessed by St. Mark standing right / Christ the Redeemer standing facing within mandorla of nine stars. Lunardi CS6; cf. CNI VII 37 (for type).

 

This week is kind of medieval for me. The second coin of the era that I got.
 

[John Conduitt]

40 minutes ago, Prieure de Sion said:

Crusaders. Chios. Maona Society AD 1400-1413. Imitating Venice issue of Andrea Dandolo. Ducat AV. 21 mm, 3,50 g. Doge kneeling left, holding staff and being blessed by St. Mark standing right / Christ the Redeemer standing facing within mandorla of nine stars. Lunardi CS6; cf. CNI VII 37 (for type).

 

This week is kind of medieval for me. The second coin of the era that I got.
 

That's a pretty nice coin.

Better than my soldino 🤣

Leonardo Loredan Type 9 Soldino, 1501-1521

Venice. Silver, 0.22g. Doge, as standard bearer of Venice, kneeling left, receiving the banner of St Mark from the patron saint; LE·LAV·DVX·S·M·V·  Standing figure of Christ with halo, holding a cross right; LAVS TIBI SOLI (You alone be praised) (MB 9). Found Orton (Portable Antiquities Scheme: SUR-061496).

[Ursus]

The only Rottweiler that's welcome in my house (I'm a cat person):

Rottweil, royal mint, under Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, AR bracteate penny, c. 1215–1250 AD. Obv: stylized eagle facing, head r. Rev: incuse design (bracteate), 18mm, 0.36g. Ref: Slg. Bonhoff 1875, Slg. Wüthrich 270, Berger 2565.

[JeandAcre]

I just bought this.  With thanks to the American numismatist Alan DeShazzo (The Celator; academia.edu -he's a polymath ...and I'm leaving a lot out) for alerting me to it in the first place, along with the provenance, from the British numismatist Simon Coupland. 

Charles II /le Chauve, King of Francia 840-877.  Denier of Sens.

Obv.  +CARLVS REX FR.

Rev.  Temple facade, the cross on the roof providing the initial punctuation.  +SENONES CIVITAS.

Depeyrot (3rd ed., 2008), pp. 393-4, No. 928; Nouchy (1994), Charles le Chauve, 62A (p. 140).

https://www.ma-shops.com/hollandia/item.php?id=3445

Right, this continues Louis I's more common temple motif, imitated in Richard I's principal issue from Rouen ('ROTOMAGVS,' below) in the later 10th century.  But as a prototype, it's too early in Charles's reign to effect much of a contrast in the operant chronology.  (For Richard's issue, cf. Duplessy, Feodales 18.  This early one of Charles predates the Edict of Nantes /'GDR' series by an easy couple of decades.)

  

Meanwhile, from here, there are two principal kinds of provenance: 'big names' in the collecting field (yawn), and true experts on the academic level.  Of course, that's often a false dichotomy, but with as many qualifications as you need, the distinction remains valid.

...And, Wait for This, the coin is 1) published, 2) by way of a conspicuously recent hoard!  The dealer got his own MA in numismatics with, as he memorably put it, 'Coupland on his side.'  And, Blessings Upon his House, he sent a .pdf of the journal (pp. 307-321; hope this works).

(Well, Okay, it didn't.  Whatever.  The ONLY language I speak fluently is English.  Relative to other ones I could wish I had enough lifetimes to learn, Computerese is ON THE BOTTOM.)

The other really fun thing is that the article was coauthored by Eric Vandenbossche.  If you go back far enough, I was buying stuff from him, and we were in correspondence.  It will be fun to resume that as well. 

  

 

Edited September 20, 2023 by JeandAcre
Ouch! Eric's last name.

[Coinmaster]

Nice coin, congrats!

Just contacted Simon, another great article is on it's way.

For those interested, see also:

https://cambridge.academia.edu/SimonCoupland

[JeandAcre]

Many thanks for the links, @Coinmaster.  It's bracing to see the dramatic extent to which the finds themselves, as well as the research, are ongoing.  I've been getting a lot of Frisian coins from a dealer in Estonia.  I wish there was more in English about the eastern and southern Baltic in the Viking Age, as well as Frisia.  Coupland has already made a solid dent in the latter!

[Bailathacl]

Picked up my first English hammered gold coin today, courtesy of CNG’s Feature Auction earlier today. Looking forward to welcoming it in hand

Edward Iii (1327-77) AV Quarter Noble (18, 7h) Fourth Coinage, Treaty Period,  Tower (London) mint, struck 1362-69, obv. Coat-of-Arms with double polylobe / Cross fleuree with lis-in-quadrilobe at center, in each angle, lion passant over lis, all within double polylobe, North 1243, Spink 1510, housed in PCGS plastic at AU 53, ex St. George Collection.  

[Ursus]

On 9/16/2023 at 11:20 PM, Prieure de Sion said:

On 9/16/2023 at 3:01 PM, Ursus said:

The type should probably be dated a bit earlier since it appears in the Elchenreute hoard, which was deposited in the 1280s. The Bonhoff catalogue attributes it to the reign of Konrad IV in 1250–1254, Berger is a bit more careful and only dates this and a number of similar types to after 1250.  Here is the relevant entry from Berger:

Thanks for that useful informations!

Addendum: While researching another Ravensburg bracteate from my own collection, I found the note below in the catalogue Brakteaten der Stauferzeit 1138–1254. Aus der Münzsammlung der Deutschen Bundesbank, Frankfurt a.M. 1977, no. 98. The identification of the star as the personal seal of the moneyer Oswald Gerster and the consecutive dating of the type to 1275–1281 appears sound to me and match the massive appeareance of the coin in the Elchenreute hoard.

Edited September 21, 2023 by Ursus

[JeandAcre]

@Ursus, I for one have little enough in print apart from the most general references.  But it's always fantastic to see people 'going this far into the weeds'!

As my uncle from Saarland liked to say (thank you, with canine connotations), 'Keep your ears stiff.'

[JeandAcre]

Oh, No, I just got this one.

Henri I as Duc de Normandie, 1106-1135.  Denier.

Obv.  Continuation of the riffing on the 'temple' motif of Richard I, imitating Carolingian issues (cf. post above).  This took place throughout the series, especially over the course of the 11th century ...and got very creative.  Witness the architecturally arbitrary repitition of the tympanum, above and (improbably enough) below the central cross.

Rev.  (From 9 o'clock:) +NORMANNA.

The later deniers of the duchy of Normandy (11^th -early 12^th c.) are notoriously crude.  Many of the 11^th century ones include increasingly barbarized renderings of the mint signature 'ROTOMAGVS,' from the issues of Richard I.  This late alternative, with 'NORMANNA' surprisingly well punched (and relatively well struck), was the primary 'selling point.'

(This whole earlier Norman series is underrepresented in any of the standard references I have easy access to, online or in print.  I have to think that this is due to the toxic convergence of the diversity of the types, and the operant 'hold your nose' esthetics.  ...Nope, I don't have Legros.  ...If anyone wanted to help out with documentation, it would be cordially appreciated.)

Edited September 21, 2023 by JeandAcre

[Hrefn]

 

On 9/17/2023 at 2:11 PM, Prieure de Sion said:

Crusaders. Chios. Maona Society AD 1400-1413. Imitating Venice issue of Andrea Dandolo. Ducat AV. 21 mm, 3,50 g. Doge kneeling left, holding staff and being blessed by St. Mark standing right / Christ the Redeemer standing facing within mandorla of nine stars. Lunardi CS6; cf. CNI VII 37 (for type).

 

This week is kind of medieval for me. The second coin of the era that I got.
 

@Prieure de Sion that is a beautiful example of a “K” ducat.  So-called because of the small “K” to the left of the foot of Christ, on the reverse.  There is some uncertainty about their origin.  When I purchased my example about 45 years ago, the coins were attributed to the Duchy of Achaea and Robert d’Anjou.  The attribution of your piece is another possible origin.  The Venetians in the Levantine have been credited with them.

  Nomos, in an  2019 Obolos auction, refers to an authority named Mazarakis (whose work I have not located).  The auction description is as follows:

“The 'K' Series ducats, named after the letter K located in reverse inscription, near Jesus's feet, were struck in the area of Asia Minor, possibly Smyrna prior to 1435 (based on hoard evidence). Mazarakis Group I is a controversial group where many fluctuations in the purity of the gold have been noted, ranging between 30% and 80%. According to Mazarakis these are the first gold coins of the post-Seljuk beyliks of western Asia Minor. In contrast to what it was supported until now, the first group with the debased gold Ducats was followed by a more pure and carefully struck Group II also imitating mainly the ducats of Andrea Dantolo. In any case this early group seems to be really rare as proven by the limited number of dies used and possibly many coins were intentionally removed from the circulation.”

My example is below, with an imitative Crusader dinar and the Muslim prototype.  The inferior fineness of the ducat and the Crusader dinar are apparent, as compared with the official dinar in the center.