Post your latest medieval!

[Ursus]

A relatively recent acquisition that I haven't shown yet: an architectural bracteate from Ravensburg in southern Germany, a bit earlier than the type @Prieure de Sion has shown above:

Ravensburg, royal mint, likely under Frederick I Barbarossa, AR bracteate penny, c. 1185–1200 AD. Obv. three towers with central gate, small ringlets above flanking towers, pseudo-lettering around. Rev: incuse design (bracteate). Ref: Berger 2533, Slg. Bonhoff 1842, Slg. Wüthrich 255.

[Prieure de Sion]

I got a second bracteate. The seller only identifies the coin as "Hartmann von Dillingen" - I did a little research and added the reference. I hope the references like "Bonhoff 1918" fit and are correct.

 

Augsburg (Bistum). Germany. Hartmann von Dillingen, 1250-1286. Bracteate (Silver, 21 mm, 0.69 g). Mitred head of the bishop facing between two annulets, all surrounded by a ring of crescents. Rev. Incuse of obverse. Berger 2652. Steinh. 93. Slg. Bonhoff 1918

 

On acsearch I find the designations "Hartmann von Dillingen" or "Hartmann II. von Dillingen" - but under Wikipedia he is given as "Hartmann V. von Dillingen" - or are these different persons? Since the time of the bracteate is given as 1250-1286 - it should be this Hartmann (V.) - the time fits: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartmann_von_Dillingen 

Quote

Hartmann V of Dillingen († 4/5 July 1286) was Bishop of Augsburg from 1248 to 1286. Hartmann came from the Swabian dynasty of the Counts of Dillingen, who were wealthy in the Danube region and held the bailiwick over the imperial city of Ulm. He was the youngest son of Count Hartmann IV of Dillingen († 1258) and Willibirgis († before 1248). The Augsburg Bishop Walter I (1133-1152) and the Constance Bishops Eberhard I, Warmann and Ulrich I were also descended from the family.

Hartmann was canon in Augsburg in 1246/47. After Pope Innocent IV deposed Bishop Siboto of Seefeld, who was loyal to the Hohenstaufen dynasty, he was appointed Bishop of Augsburg in 1248. In the conflict between the Hohenstaufen and the Pope, Hartmann's family, together with Counts Ulrich I of Württemberg and Hartmann II of Grueningen, were among the most important opponents of King Conrad IV. In his diocese he was a patron of monasteries and hospitals. He allowed the mendicant orders of the Dominicans, Franciscans and Carmelites to provide pastoral care in his diocese. He had been in dispute with Ludwig II of Bavaria since 1256 over the bailiwick of the high diocese, and was finally able to assert himself in 1270, but lost the bailiwick to the empire again in 1276. In the feud with Ludwig III of Oettingen over the bailiwick of the monastery of Neresheim, a court of arbitration led by Albertus Magnus decided against him. Schwigger II of Mindelberg took him prisoner in 1266 and burnt down his Strassberg castle. After the death of his brother Adalbert (1257) and his father Hartmann IV (1258), he and his brothers-in-law inherited a large part of the remaining Dillingen possessions,[2] which in 1258 and 1286, respectively, largely passed to the Augsburg diocese. With Hartmann's death in 1286, the dynasty of the Counts of Dillingen became extinct. Hartmann was buried in Augsburg Cathedral in front of the altar of the cross.

 

[Prieure de Sion]

And once again I bought something that I just liked visually - but historically I know little of the background. Now I have to see what I actually got historically 😄 ... The description is from the auction house - so I can't verify its accuracy yet. 

 

  

Armenian Kingdom, Cilician Armenia. Hetoum I. 1226-1270. AR tram (21mm, 2.91 g). Zabel and Hetoum standing facing one another, each crowned with head facing and holding long cross between them / Crowned lion advancing right, head facing, holding long cross.

 

Armenian Kingdom, Cilician Armenia. Hetoum I. 1226-1270. AR tram (22mm, 2.98 g). Zabel and Hetoum standing facing one another, each crowned with head facing and holding long cross between them / Crowned lion advancing right, head facing, holding long cross.

[Hrefn]

@Prieure de Sion, nice example of that coin.  Auction house description is correct, I believe.   

[JeandAcre]

Congrats, @Prieure de Sion, on two well-struck examples!  For historical (and more minimal numismatic) context, here's a start.  Please refer to @Hrefn's preceding post on the thread below.  (He's being cagey about how much he knows!)

Cilician Armenia was really and truly an ethnically Armenian, correspondingly (Middle Eastern vs. Greek) Orthodox polity in southeastern Asia Minor, following a mass exile on a scale that we're seeing in real time.  Funly, their resonantly Semitic-looking alphabet is based on the Syriac, in use from the first century CE.  ...Thanks to Syrian missionaries; comparable to the same confluence of influence, corresponding Monophysite Orthodox theology, and, yep, alphabet seen in coins of Axum /Aksum, and the Ethiopian Ge'ez and modrn Amharic alphabet.  Here's a map, from our dear friends at Wiki.

Being situated between the Byzantine Empire and the Norman principality of Antioch, they were prominent during the Crusades.  This included marriage into the Antiocene dynasty, and, briefly, a Prince of Antioch who was half Armenian.  Here's a post by @John Conduitt regarding that: 

That's why European dealers so often list the coins along with Crusader ones.

Edited October 3, 2023 by JeandAcre

[Prieure de Sion]

8 hours ago, JeandAcre said:

Congrats, @Prieure de Sion, on two well-struck examples! 

Thanks - and thanks for this informations!

[ominus1]

..i just paid for this and i ain't superstitious all the time....and i wanna show it off ...Leopold lll (Habsburg), grandfather of Frederick lll and father of Ernst the Iron, (not to mention son of Albrecht ll :P) a silver vierer Gulden (about .5gms) undated, 1373-1386..

[Prieure de Sion]

I have just developed a small soft spot for bracteates - and therefore treated myself to two more specimens today... 😄 

The descriptions of the coins are still unchecked by the auction house.

 

 

BRAUNSCHWEIG-LÜNEBURG, William or Henry the Long, 1195-1213-1227. Bracteate Lüneburg lion n. r., in front a cross, behind a globe, below lily with two leaves Berger 478 ff; Coll. Bonhoff 113 (under Otto the Child). 0.58 g

 

BRAUNSCHWEIG-LÜNEBURG, Henry the Long, 1195-1227. Bracteate Lüneburg lion with split tail tassel n. r., head turned forward, in front ringed Berger 494 ff; Coll. Bonhoff 102. 0.49 g

 

[ewomack]

This 11th century Byzantine Anonymous follis probably qualifies more as a medieval than an ancient, so, though I've also shared it a few times already on this forum, I'll put it in this thread. It's also the latest coin I've purchased period.

Romanus IV Diogenes AD (1068-1071); Constantinople; Æ Anonymous Follis, Class G, Obv: IC-XC to left and right of bust of Christ, nimbate, facing, right hand raised, scroll in left, all within border of large dots; Rev: MP-ΘV to left and right of Mary, nimbate, ands raised, all inside border of large dots; 26-28 mm. 10.2 gm.; Sear 1867

[Prieure de Sion]

On 10/7/2023 at 6:54 PM, ewomack said:

This 11th century Byzantine Anonymous folli

Wonderful style, wonderful coin 😍

[Prieure de Sion]

I know, not really medieval - but we don't have a thread for new purchases in modern times. And with the knight on the front, it has something of the Middle Ages about it. And that was my reason for buying it - I kind of liked the knight and the gold ducat was already bought...
  
 

Netherlands, Republiek der Zeven; Reign: Wilhelm V. of Oranien; Mint: Province West Friesland; Date: 1760 AD; Nominal: Ducat (Dukat); Material: Gold; Diameter: 21mm; Weight: 3.46g; Reference: Friedberg 295; Reference: Delmonte 838; Obverse: Knight standing facing, holding sword and bundle of arrows; Reverse: Legend in five lines within ornate tablet

 
 

Edited October 8, 2023 by Prieure de Sion

[ominus1]

..just paid for this one...father of Leopold lll, Albert ll was born at the Castle Habsburg, Swabia(Switzerland) the son of Albrecht l, King of Germany

17mm (don't know the wt. yet:P)

 

1330-1358 RDR Austria Albrecht II Wiener Pfennig Vienna Binding Shield 2 wings 

[Prieure de Sion]

I don't want to see this thread go down - hence a new post. Even though I did not buy these coins at auction. The following four coins are not my property and I did not win for them! Unfortunately. 

I didn't dare bid higher and lost the battle on all four. And now I regret it a little. They are such beautiful specimens. Especially the last two lots are of exceptional beauty. Is there anyone here who has won one or all of them? Congratulations to the buyer - I think - really outstanding pieces!

 

Editions V. Gadoury, Auktion 2023
https://www.biddr.com/auctions/gadoury/browse?a=3852 

 

ALLEMAGNE
Hartmann von Dillingen. 1250-1286
Berger 2648, Brakteat, Augsburg, AG
Conservation : NGC MS 65. FDC

 

Heinrich VI 1190-97
Brakteat, Donauwoerth, AG
Conservation : NGC MS 64. Top Pop : le plus beau gradé.
FDC

 

Friedrich II 1212-1225
Brakteat, Donauwoerth, AG
Conservation : NGC MS 65. Top Pop: le plus beau gradé.
FDC

 

Eberhard II. von Waldburg, 1248-1274
Brakteat, Konstanz, 1250-1270, AG
Ref : Berger 2489, Cahn 57, Klein/Ulmer (CC) 26,
Rutishauser 92
Conservation : NGC MS 66 Top Pop: le plus beau gradé.
FDC

[Ursus]

1 hour ago, Prieure de Sion said:

Especially the last two lots are of exceptional beauty.

The third coin is from Ulm, not Donauwörth. Virtually uncirculated examples of this type, probably all from the same hoard, appear on the market frequently. So you might actually get another chance soon!

Here is mine (bought in 2022):

Ulm, royal mint, under Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, AR bracteate penny, 1215–1250 AD. Obv. crowned bust of king facing, branch to l., tower to r. Rev: incuse design (bracteate). 23mm, 0.33g. Ref: Berger 2598–9; Cahn 168 (for Lindau); Slg. Wüthrich 303; Slg. Bonhoff 1863.

[Coinmaster]

6 hours ago, Ursus said:

Obv. crowned bust of king facing, branch to l.

Great coin! I'm very curious about the symbolic meaning of the branch in relation to Frederick II. Online I read multiple explanations, like the symbol of peace, as the tree of live or as: 'In the Tree of Jesse, and other kindred symbolic trees, the branches 
have significance only as part of the greater whole and with reference to 
Christ.'

What do you think?

[Grimulfr]

Those bracteates are incredible Prieure; it must have been tough to pull out of that auction. 

I am equally curious as Coinmaster as to the nature of the branch depicted in the Frederick II bracteate.  Also can you shed some light on the figure below the lion in the Heinrich VI bracteate- is it a castle of some description?  

Many thanks. 

[ela126]

I gotta respect the medievals, they’re what transitioned me from American to Ancient. I don’t buy many these days but this is one of my more recent ones that first the medieval classification well.

Not a super rare coin but I won this at auction this year. An Aethelred II. London mint. S-1154

There was an email address on the ticket which I decided to check in about to see what I could discover. I was pleasantly surprised. Very proud to hold this coin the my collection.

[Ursus]

15 hours ago, Coinmaster said:

I'm very curious about the symbolic meaning of the branch in relation to Frederick II. Online I read multiple explanations, like the symbol of peace, as the tree of live or as: 'In the Tree of Jesse, and other kindred symbolic trees, the branches 
have significance only as part of the greater whole and with reference to 
Christ.'

My theory: The branch is a visual pun on the name of the place the coin was struck at. The medieval city name "Ulm" or "Ulme" is homophonous with the German word for elm trees. The branch can be read as an elm branch, while the tower represents a generic city. Together, the two objects in the fields thus spell out something like "elm city", i.e. "Ulm".

My reading is supported by two pieces of circumstantial evidence. First, such visual puns are common on 13th bracteates from the region around the Lake of Constance. The mint of Lindau, for example, uses a linden tree as its sign. Secondly, the Dominican friar Felix Fabri, who wrote a chronicle of Ulm in the 15th century, gives a popular (but linguistically false) etymology of the city's name as a reference to elm trees. It seems reasonable to assume that this interpretation of the city name predates Fabri's chronicle and influenced high medieval bracteate iconography.

The literature that I currently have access to says nothing about the branch. Unfortunately though, I don't have a copy of the rare but important book by Elisabeth Nau: Die Münzen und Medaillen der oberschwäbischen Städte. If anyone has this book and could have a quick look whether Nau has more to say about this type, I'd be grateful.

13 hours ago, Grimulfr said:

Also can you shed some light on the figure below the lion in the Heinrich VI bracteate- is it a castle of some description?

The architectural detail is commonly interpreted as a pedestal. The type might have been inspired by the monumental bronze lion sculpture that Henry the Lion erected at castle Dankwarderode c. 1164–1176. This statue is known as the "Brunswick lion" and has its own English wikipedia article. It was placed on a pedestal somewhat similar to the detail on some coin types from Brunswick, including that which @Prieure de Sion has shown:

[JeandAcre]

@Grimulfr, I wish there was an imogee for, "Hmmm..."  Granted, "Cool Think" is no less true!

This goes back to Numismatik Naumann's last electronic auction, but it is from the last few I've gotten.  The coin isn't listed in the 2nd edition of Malloy, CCS.  And the online stuff from Dumbarton Oaks just runs to being too much of a challenge to navigate in the available .pdf (never, that gets to mean, Never a preferred format.) attribution and references, I had to riff off ofpr,atf the original listing, and others from ACSearch.

Constantinople; Latin empire.  (?) Baldwin II, nominal emperor 1228-1237; ruling emperor 1237-1260; emperor in absentia 1260-1274.  Hyperpyron, imitating prototypes of John III, Emperor of Nicaea 1221-1254. 

The listing from Naumann is here: https://www.biddr.com/auctions/numismatiknaumann/browse?a=3779&l=4382260

 Regarding the attribution to Baldwin II, the most concise version I've found is this:

"Baldwin II and John III had contractually agreed not to imitate each other's coins, but Baldwin did not keep this agreement. Since the Byzantine coins were a generally well accepted monetary medium, he imitated them, contrary to his contract, but with lesser gold quantity. He had the coins marked with tiny symbols, here four points, as described by Pegolotti in his book on then current coins. These marks served the purpose that the Latins were able to distinguish their coins from the Byzantine originals. Pegolotti was a Venetian merchant who traded with the East in the time of the Latin rule. His book is the only contemporary document that informs about the difference between the two emitting authorities."

This is the source: https://auktionen.sincona.com/en-us/auctions/lots/111121?part_id=325

Here's one example of John III's prototype.  Demonstrating the much better engraving and a less than great strike, but including much of the legend, with a full transcription of that. 

https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5240455

...And, Yes, Sincona got Pergolotti wrong; he was Florentine.  And the primary source of his that they cite dates only to c. 1340 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratica_della_mercatura).

But several factors converge to offer possible mitigation of its chronological remove from the issue.  The author was active from c. 1290, and clearly based his book on experience over his entire career.  The Franks in Constantinople were intimately associated with the Venetians since the Latin Empire's inception, providing transport for the initial conquest during the Fourth Crusade, and  appropriating trading rights and neighboring islands in the process.  Meanwhile, the sheer pitch of economic activity among the Italian mercantile city-states --including banking, and substantial loans to various monarchs to the northwest--  was marked by exceptional record-keeping, not least for the period.  It's a safe guess that this entailed commensurate levels of intelligence, if not direct contact, even among rival city-states.  The Venetians would have been well aware of the origins of this issue, and a prominent Florentine merchant might very plausibly have been acquainted with them a couple of generations later.

I've only found Pergolotti's primary source on Google Books, in a 20th-century Italian edition.  So far, searches of that turn up no mention of the Italian equivalent of 'Baldwin.'  Leaving me kind of high and dry.

But especially, I have to wonder about the date of the specific the treaty that Pergolotti mentions, by way of dating the coin.  Perry's biography, John of Brienne (Cambridge, 2013)  emphasizes the fact that once Jean de Brienne arrived in Constantinople, as regent for the still underage Baldwin, he insisted on full rule until his death.  But likewise, he acknowledges the conspicuous absence of contemporaneous sources for this interval.

Jean's ensuing rule was from 1231 to his death in 1237 (cf. esp. pp. 157 ff.).   I have to wonder whether this issue, light weight but still unmistakably gold, might date to his regency, rather than Baldwin's direct rule. 

Both are contemporaneous to John III of Nicaea, which, thank you, doesn't tell us a lot.  But Jean had already been appointed as the ruler of a nominal empire* whose financial fortunes were effectively in freefall from its inception.  The original Frankish conquerors had organized their territorial take along feudal, rather than mercantile lines.  The ensuing autonomy of the Frankish lordships, especially concerning taxation, left the 'empire' without the financial infrastructure which even even the late Comnenan and Doukas dynasties could still rely on.  In effect, the empire was born broke.  This whole progression, from the feudal infrastructure to its economic consequences, is likely to have influenced contemprorary Italian perceptions of the Franks as being unwashed barbarians.

...Well, anyway, it's a fun coin.  I love how good the strike is, crude as the engraving was to begin with.  

*The 'Latin empire of Constantinople' has to evoke Voltaire's observation about the contemporaneous Holy Roman (/German) Empire: 'neither holy, nor Roman, nor an empire.'

 

Edited October 18, 2023 by JeandAcre

[ominus1]

...i turned 65 Sunday...i partied like a rock star and i have $9.00 in the bank.....but i DO have thus hard to find coin of this rabbit hole of Habsburgs i've been going down a spell....father of Frederick the 3rd/5th and progenitor  of that family...paid for and on its way  ^^

 

Steiermark Einseitiger Pfennig Ernst der Eiserne 1406-1424

 

 

Edited October 18, 2023 by ominus1

[Prieure de Sion]

Reign: Philippe III le Hardi (engl. the Bold) or Philipp IV le Bel, (engl. the Fair); Mint: France; Date: 1280/1290 AD; Nominal: Gros Tournois; Material: Silver; Diameter: 26mm; Weight: 4.11g; Reference: Duplessy 213; Reference: Ciani 202; Reference: Lafaurie 217; Pedigree: Odysseus Numismatique Montepelier; Obverse: Castle and a border of twelve fleurs de lis; Inscription: +TVRONVS CIVIS; Reverse: Cross in two legend rings; Inscription: +BNDICTV: SIT: NOME: DNI: NRI: DEI: IHV XPI +PHILIPPVS REX

[Prieure de Sion]

The Aethelred Penny somehow came to me today... 😉 - I couldn't say no, like I so often do sometimes.

 

 

 
Aethelred II (Aethelred the Unready), House of Wessex; Reign: Aethelred, Kings of All England; Moneyer: Oswulf; Mint: London; Date: 978/1016 AD; Nominal: Penny (long cross type); Material: Silver; Diameter: 20mm; Weight: 1.65g; Reference: Seaby 1151; Reference: North 774; Reference: Hildebrand 288; Obverse: Draped and cuirassed bust left; Inscription: +AEDELRAED REX ANGLO; Translation: Aethelred, King of England; Reverse: Long cross voided with each limb terminating in three crescents; Inscription: +OSVLF MO LVND; Translation: Os(w)ulf, moneyor (at) London.

 

 

Edited November 14, 2023 by Prieure de Sion

[JeandAcre]

Two terrific exampes, @Prieure de Sion.  The toning on the gros is maybe a little, mmm, unconventional, but I've got to like it even more for that.

[panzerman]

Great coins/ topic!

I have a slew of medieval stuff/ so I will keep it, "All in the Family"

The Anjevin Dynasty that is...

Provence/ Comté

AV Franc à pied ND 1381-84

Avignon Mint

Louis I d'Anjou  1381-84

Provence/ Comté

AV Florin d'or ND (1369-70)

St Rémy Mint

Jeanne I d'Anjou  1343-82

Queen of Napoli/ Princess of Achaea/ Countess of Anjou

Napoli

AV Salut d'or ND 

Napoli Mint

Charles II d'Anjou 1285-1309

 

Kingdom of Hungary

AV Aranyforint ND (1385/86)

Kremnitz Mint

Maria I of Anjou 1382-95

 

Kingdom of Hungary

AV Aranyforint ND (1369/70)

Buda Mint (MoorHead mint mark)

Lajos I (Louis d'Anjou) 1342-82

 

Kingdom of Hungary

AV Aranyforint ND (1378)

Kremnitz Mint

Lajos I (Louis I d'Anjou) 1342-82

[panzerman]

Something different/ unpublished/ just in from Heritage/ Europe

Srivaraya Kingdom/ Palembang Sumatra (650-1200AD)

AV 1/4 Massa ND 0.59g.

AV 1/2 Massa ND 1.20g.

AV Massa ND 2.25g.

All unpublished RRRR