Unique/unpublished AV Triente Wittiza Mentesa Mint

[panzerman]

Spur of the moment decision. I noticed Lucernae Auctions had a RRRRR AV Triente

from Wittiza 700-12AD Mentesa Mint in EF+/MS. I thought I had ZERO chance of getting it/

but I did and very happy.

Visigothic Kingdom Iberia

AV Triente ND    1.39g.    17mm.     .750      9h

Mentesa Mint/ Carthaginensis Province

Facing Bust of Christ behind Cross

+VVITTIZΛ PX

Cross Potent on Three Steps

+MENTE SΛPIV.

 

[Hrefn]

I am always afraid to buy these later Visigothic tremisses, because I do not trust my ability to identify fakes.  I guess buying from a trusted dealer helps.  Plus I hardly need to begin yet another subcollection.   Beautiful and historic coin.  

[Sulla80]

Very interesting looking coin @panzerman, Congrats!

[panzerman]

Thank you!

 

I looked coin up in that Visigoth reference book. Seems no dubious material is known from this ruler/ Mentesa Mint. Its listed in Miles/ but not in CNV work. Roma had a RRRRR one from Sunifredus which sold for big $$$$$.

[Al Kowsky]

On 12/26/2024 at 12:24 PM, panzerman said:

Spur of the moment decision. I noticed Lucernae Auctions had a RRRRR AV Triente

from Wittiza 700-12AD Mentesa Mint in EF+/MS. I thought I had ZERO chance of getting it/

but I did and very happy.

Visigothic Kingdom Iberia

AV Triente ND    1.39g.    17mm.     .750      9h

Mentesa Mint/ Carthaginensis Province

Facing Bust of Christ behind Cross

+VVITTIZΛ PX

Cross Potent on Three Steps

+MENTE SΛPIV.

 

Johann, Great score 🤩! The abstract image of Christ on the obverse is fascinating, & the reverse design was obviously inspired by Byzantine coinage ☺️.

 

[panzerman]

Thank you Al!

The first depiction of Christ was on this coin/ that I got from Macho & Chlapocik Auction.

Ervigus 680-87

Cordoba Mint

I think the Visigoths were first to depict Christ on coinage.

[Tejas]

Fantastic coin.

Here is a similar piece:

https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2152705

 

I have a few of these late Visigothic tremisses, but only common ones, because like @Hrefn I don't feel confident enought ot detect fakes.

Wamba (672-680)
Tremissis Toledo MBC
CNV 476.2; 1,51g.

Obv.: + I.D.N.M.N  VVAMBA N

Rev.: + TOLETO PIVS

 

Edited December 28, 2024 by Tejas

[panzerman]

Thanks Tejas!

That coin sold Numisma Auction is type for sure. CNV has one with PIVS but Miles has this one+Numisma PIV.

Thats a nice Wamba Triente from Toleto Mint!

 

John

[Tejas]

The named series of late Visigothic tremisses begins with Leovigild or perhaps even Liuva I. I think that Liuva started his reign with anonymous tremisses in the name of Justinian/Justin II like the coin below from my collection:

 

[Tejas]

My earliest royal Visigothic tremissis is this one below, in the name of Reccared.

Reccard I (586-601)

Obv.:  + RECCAREDVS R

Rev.:  + TOLETO PIVS

Mint: Toledo

Edited December 28, 2024 by Tejas

[Ryro]

On 12/27/2024 at 2:34 PM, panzerman said:

Thank you Al!

The first depiction of Christ was on this coin/ that I got from Macho & Chlapocik Auction.

Ervigus 680-87

Cordoba Mint

I think the Visigoths were first to depict Christ on coinage.

Nice try. I know the cool aid guy when I see him:

Jk, stunning coins as always. 

[panzerman]

You are the second person to compare that portrait to the Koolaid guy! I remember  on "coin talk" TIF said same thing!

[panzerman]

I got this one from Künker auction 2013 Emerita Mint

[Tejas]

My next coin in line is a trient of Witteric

Witteric (603-610)

Obv.: + VVITTERICVS RE

Rev.: EMERETA PIVS

Mint: Merida

Witteric tried to restore Arianism, but failed and was murdered. Coins of Witteric are relatively rare.

Edited December 29, 2024 by Tejas

[Tejas]

And here is Witteric's successor Gundemar 

Gundemar (610-612)

Obv.:  + GVNDEMARVS REX

Rev.: + ISPALI PIVS

Mint: Sevillia

Gundemar was count of Septimania before becoming king. He waged war against the Basques and the Byzantines in southern Spain. His coins are also rare.

Edited December 29, 2024 by Tejas

[Tejas]

9 hours ago, panzerman said:

I got this one from Künker auction 2013 Emerita Mint

Great coin. This could be Reccared II (the son of Sisebut), instead of Reccared I. If so, the coin would be very rare.

[panzerman]

Beautifull Gundemar! 

 

Here is my only Tulgan/ someone on "coin talk" thought it looked like "Bozo the Clown"!    Bing🙃

[panzerman]

4 hours ago, Tejas said:

Great coin. This could be Reccared II (the son of Sisebut), instead of Reccared I. If so, the coin would be very rare.

In CNV the Reccared II has PIVS on reverse legend/ the Reccared I has VICTOR from Emerita Mint. Of course there could be a unlisted ex. with VICTOR?

These are fun to collect with so many diff. legends/ mints☺️

[Tejas]

On 12/29/2024 at 3:12 PM, panzerman said:

Beautifull Gundemar! 

 

Here is my only Tulgan/ someone on "coin talk" thought it looked like "Bozo the Clown"!    Bing🙃

Wow, fanastic coin and very rare. 

I really like all these Gothic-Germanic names: Tulga, Sunna, Liuva, Swintila and Reccared which dominate Visigothic history, but give a very distorted view of the population that lived Spain at the time. The Germanic Goths constituted only a very small and largely isolated elite, which ruled over a large population that was mostly of Romano-Celt-Iberian descent. Indeed, this is the main reason, why the kingdom collapsed so rapidly in the face of the Muslim onslaught in 711. 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2024 by Tejas

[panzerman]

The Umayyad Caliphate's armies were invincible for a time. Had the Islamist stayed united under one caliph/ all of Western Europe might have fallen. You also have to wonder what a united Islamic Front would have meant for Mongol expansion into Muslim territory West of Bactria.

[Tejas]

Yes, you are probably right, the Muslim invasion army was very strong and motivated. However, it is clear that it hit a very weak Visigothic kingdom in 711, which was, at the time, divided between two kings, Roderic and Achila. Roderic was likely a usurper, with limited support even among the Gothic elites. The local Romano-Iberian majority population was alienated from their Germanic rulers, which is even more true for the large Jewish population. Successive Gothic rulers had discriminated against the Jews, who, unsurprisingly are said to have helped the Muslims to take over control of Spain. Even if these factors were of limited importance. The economic decline of the Visigothic kingdom is clearly visible from the late  7th century in the deteriotion of the coins.

However, with my next coin, a very common, but beautiful tremissis of Sisebut, these events still lay some 100 years in the future. Sisebut was said to have been highly educated and Isidore of Seville was a close associate. Nonetheless, he forced the Jews to convert to Christianity and reportedly severely punished those who refused.

Obv.:  + SISEBVTVS REX

Rev.: + TOLETO PIVS

Mint: Toledo

 

Edited January 2 by Tejas

[Tejas]

The tremisses of Sisebut and especially of his successor Suinthila, are the most afordable gold coins of the entire Merowingian period. Below are two coins of Suinthila who ruled from 621 to 631. Suinthila is credited with ejecting the last Byzantines from Spain. 

Obv.: + SVINTHILA RE

Rev.: + PIVS ELIBER

Mint: Eliberi, Iliberri modern day Granada

 

Obv.: + SVINTHILA REX

Rev.: + EMERITA PIVS

Mint: Merida

[panzerman]

I agree Sisebut and Svintilla are most common/ but RRRR from certain mints. These guys had so many diff. mint cities....

[Tejas]

Yes, that is an important point. The specialists collect late Visigothic tremisses by mints. Some of the mints seem to have had only a very small output and their coins are accordingly very rare and expensive today. Personally, I'm not a specialist collector and I'm not interested in particular Visigothic mints.

Next in line in my collection is Reccesvinth. 

Obv.: + RECCES V INTVS R

Rev.: + ISPALI PIVS

Mint: Seville

Reccesvinth ruled from 653 until his death in 672 as sole ruler. From 649 to 653 he was co-ruler with his notoriously tyrannical father Chindasvinth.

As a litte aside, some people may wonder what this word "svinth/suinth/suind" in name like Svinthila, Recce-svinth and Chinda-svinth means. The word means "strong/healthy" and is still used in modern German in words like "Ge-sund-heit", meaning "health".  

 

Edited January 5 by Tejas

[Tejas]

Somehow I ended up with three coins of Wamba, who ruled from 672 to 680. His name is unlike any other Gothic name and may be a nickname meaning "big belly" (German "Wampe").  However, no other name is recorded for this king who faced increasing attacks by Muslim raiders. In 680, Wamba fell ill and was tonsured in anticipation of his death, as was common practice at the time. He recovered, but since he could not continue to rule as a monk he had to retire to a monastry.