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 Replies: 46 / Views: 8,703 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
All right so I decided to treat myself to one last thing before the year is out, and knocked out a bothersome hole in my collection of post-Roman Germanics, that of the Franks. This silver denier (from the Roman 'denarius') bears the name of Louis the Pious (LVDOVVICVS), who ended up being the only surviving son of the great Charlemagne. Quote:
Louis the Pious (778 - " 20 June 840), also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was the King of Aquitaine from 781. He was also King of the Franks and co-Emperor (as Louis I) with his father, Charlemagne, from 813. As the only surviving adult son of Charlemagne and Hildegard, he became the sole ruler of the Franks after his father's death in 814, a position which he held until his death, save for the period 833- "34, during which he was deposed. More here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_the_PiousLouis the Pious, King of the Franks and Carolingian Emperor (814-840 AD) AR Denier Obv: + H LVDOVVICVS IMP, legend around cross Rev: + METTALVM, legend around cross Metallum mint (modern Melle, France) 20 mm wide  It looks authentic to me but I checked the fake reports nontheless and found nothing. Does it look all right to you all? Thanks. Edited by VisigothKing
12/17/2013 2:30 pm
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Very interesting coin. Would love to have one of these.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
36903 Posts |
Great coin. Looks genuine to me with my limited knowledge of this field.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
4778 Posts |
Thanks guys! Glad you like it!  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
Carolingian Empire in 800 AD:  (from vlib.us) BTW, for those that don't know, this coin is pretty rare, and usually pricey. |
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Pillar of the Community
Netherlands
1204 Posts |
Interesting coin in good condition, very nice!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
Coins of the Dark Ages of Europe are always hard to obtain.
I would have no problem at all adding this one to MY collection!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
Thanks sel. I just love the history of the Dark Ages and I try to connect to it through the coinage of those times.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
Does anyone know what the H in the obverse legend stands for?
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Pillar of the Community
Russian Federation
5180 Posts |
Quote:
Does anyone know what the H in the obverse legend stands for? I highly suspect that it doesn't stand for anything, and is simply part of the name (as in "Hludovicus"). |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
No idea on the H. As for the coin, well played my friend. I too would welcome such a piece into my collection. I currently have my eye on a Crusader Grand Gross. A chunky hulking coin from Tripoli. I definitely want something earlier like this. I'm now in a bit of a drought but like they say, coins are like the Tiber sometimes a trickle sometimes a deluge, nothing to be worried about.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
Thanks Anoob! Knew you would taking a liking to my new Carolingian. And I hope you get that Crusader Grand Cross coin. Definitely something I'd be interested in seeing, since I really enjoy the Crusades era.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
7966 Posts |
Not sure the meaning of the letter H, although HLUDOVVICVS or some variant of it appears on all the deniers of Louis the Pious, as it does also on deniers of Louis l'Enfant (899-911) almost a century later. Likewise, deniers of Lothair, the son of Louis the Pious (840-855) show HLOTHARIVS in the legend. Maybe someone with expertise in Roman syntax is needed?
By the time of the Capetian kings of France in the 1100s, the H is gone, and the monarch's name appears as just LVDOVICVS.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7966 Posts |
As for authenticity, I am no expert. Here is another denier from Melle in the early part of Louis' reign http://www.elsen.eu/index.aspx?tabi...on119detailsA cursory look of the last couple of auctions of Jean Elsen, does not show this type with a cross on both sides, but it seems there were many types of deniers being issued in many places in Carolingian times. Maybe the engravers has a lot of flexibility? Hopefully someone with more expertise on this period (and maybe the right references) can comment. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
Back for a second look. Oh and I love the map. Maps always bring the coins to life. Sometimes its hard to picture the geopolitical situation of times and places not covered in World History class.
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Replies: 46 / Views: 8,703 |
Posted 12/17/2013 3:24 pm
