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CONSTANTIUS II, 337-361 - AV Solidus, Antiochia (355-361)
weight 4,46gr. ; gold Ø 20,5mm.
obv. Facing bust, wearing crested and diademed helmet, spear diagonally over right shoulder, on left arm shield decorated with horseman right, riding down enemy, surrounded by the legend; FL IVL CONSTANTIVS PERP AVG rev. Roma and Constantinopolis enthroned, the former facing, the latter turned to the left. Between them they support a shiel inscribed VOT / XXX / MVLT / XXXX. Roma holds spear in left hand, Constantinopolis holds sceptre in left hand and rests right foot on a prow, dot between them in lower field, GLORIA REIPVBLICAE, •SMANB• in exergue
Constantius II joins the lenghty list of emperors whose career was marked by a seemingly endless series of wars both domestic and foreign. He served as Caesar from 324 until his father′s death in 337 at which time he shared the title of Augustus with two other brothers, Constantine II and Constans. To make sure no more Johnny-come-latelies in his family would try their hand at being emperor too it is thought that he engineered a bloodbath that left nary a relative. Constantine II died in battle and Constans was murdered by the men of Magnentius, the first of several usurpers. This left Constantius finally as sole legitimate emperor and he moved quickly to suppress Magnentius, an endeavor he eventually accomplished. The strife didn′t end there, however, as he still had to deal with other revolts and wars on every corner of the empire. Caught in these never-ending battles he died while on his way to battle Julian II.
Cohen 112 ; RIC 170 (R4) ; Depeyrot page 277, no.11 (officina B not listed) RRRR Wonderful coin with fine details. Only a few examples known Extremely rare. vf/xf à xf- |
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ROMAN IMPERATORS - MARCUS ANTONIUS & LUCIUS ANTONIUS - MARCUS COCCEIUS NERVA, monetarius - AR Denarius, Ephesos (summer 41 BC)
weight 3,80gr. ; silver Ø 20mm.
obv. Bare head of Marcus Antonius right, surrounded by the legend; M•ANT•IMP•AVG III VIR•R•P•C•M NERVA PROQ•P rev. Bare head of Lucius Antonius right, surrounded by the legend; L•ANTONIVS COS
Towards the close of 42 BC Marcus Antonius proceeded to Asia where he was to begin his task of reorganizing affairs in the East. Initially he fixed his residence at Ephesos, the seat of the proconsular governor, and it was probably from the Ephesian mint that Marcus Antonius issued a handsome series of gold aurei and silver denarii celebrating both the Triumvirate and the consulship, in 41 BC, of Marcus′ younger brother Lucius.
Lucius Antonius was a son of Marcus Antonius Creticus, son of the rhetorician Marcus Antonius Orator executed by Gaius Marius′ supporters in 86 BC, and Julia, a cousin of Julius Caesar. Together with his older brothers Marcus Antonius and Gaius Antonius, he spent his early years roaming through Rome in bad company. Plutarchus refers to the untamed life of the youths and their friends, frequenting gambling houses and drinking too much. After the murder of Caesar, he supported his brother Marcus. He proposed an agrarian law in favor of the people and Caesar′s veterans and took part in the operations at Mutina (43 BC). In 41 BC, he was consul with Publius Servilius Vatia Isauricus as his senior partner. In this year, he assisted Mark Antony′s wife, Fulvia, who was anxious to recall her husband from Cleopatra′s court, in the raising of an eight legion army to fight against Octavian′s unpopular policies. Later, observing the bitter feelings that had been evoked by the distribution of land among the veterans of Caesar, Antonius and Fulvia changed their attitude and stood forward as the defenders of those who had suffered from its operation. Antonius marched on Rome, drove out Lepidus, and promised the people that the triumvirate would be abolished. On the approach of Octavianus, he retired to Perusia in Etruria, where he was besieged by three armies (Perusine War), and compelled to surrender in the winter of 41 BC. The city was destroyed but his life was spared, and he was sent by Octavianus to Spain as governor. Nothing is known of the circumstances or date of his death. Cicero, in his Philippics, actuated in great measure by personal animosity, gives a highly unfavorable view of his character.
Marcus Cocceius Nerva was the moneyer (monetarius) of this coin. His family were of Umbrian origin and were supporters of Marcus Antonius, providing him with a number of generals and diplomats. He was Proquaestor pro praetore (officer who, after having served as praetor in Rome, was sent to govern a province with praetorial authority), which is shown on this coin, under Antonius in 41 BC, and it is assumed that he was with Lucius Antonius during the Perusine War. He was one of the key military officers in Antonius′s army who refused to fight Octavianus and brought about the reconciliation between the two men in 40 BC. Around 38 BC, Marcus Antonius appointed Nerva as the proconsular governor of Asia, during which time he was acclaimed as imperator for some military action at Lagina. For his services to Marcus Antonius, Nerva was elected consul in 36 BC together with Lucius Gellius Publicola. In 31 BC he was elected to the Quindecimviri sacris faciundis, and was raised to the Patriciate after 29 BC. He is the great-grandfather of the more famous Emperor Nerva who ruled the Roman Empire from 96 to 98 AD. His son, also named Marcus Cocceius Nerva, was part of the entourage of emperor Tiberius.
Crawford 517/5a ; Antonia 48 and Cocceia 2 ; Sydenham 1185 ; CRI 246 ; Cohen 2 ; Newman 41.5 ; Albert 1641 ; Sear 1509 RR Attractive toning. Very rare. vf |
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ZUIDELIJKE NEDERLANDEN (SOUTHERN NETHERLANDS) - HERTOGDOM BRABANT - ALBRECHT & ISABELLA, 1598-1621 - Dubbele Albertijn 1600, Maastricht
gewicht 5,01gr. ; goud Ø 26mm. muntteken ster
Het betreft hier het eerste jaar van aanmunting van dit munttype, dat speciaal werd ingevoerd na het aantreden van het aarthertogelijk paar als heersers over de Spaanse Nederlanden. Van dit jaartal werden slechts 10.824 stuks aangemunt. Uiterst zeldzaam.
Geslagen in het jaar 1600, dat velen zullen kennen als het jaar van de Slag bij Nieuwpoort. Samen met de Slag bij Heiligerlee (1568) waarschijnlijk de bekendste veldslag uit de Tachtigjarige Oorlog. Het feit dat deze veldslag in onze herinnering is blijven voortleven heeft weinig te maken met de betekenis ervan en zal vooral verband houden met het gemakkelijk te onthouden jaartal. Het waren de Staten-Generaal en raadspensionaris Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, de politiek leider van de Republiek, die er bij prins Maurits, de militair leider van de Republiek, op aan drongen de stad Duinkerken te veroveren op de Spanjaarden. Duinkerken was een uitvalbasis voor de kaapvaart in het Kanaal (nauw van Calais), die de Nederlandse handelsvloot voortdurend bedreigde en daarmee de Nederlandse handel saboteerde. Dat was de Nederlanders natuurlijk een doorn in het oog. Maurits voelde er echter niets voor om zo ver in vijandelijke gebied zo′n riskante militaire actie te ondernemen. Het risico voor insluiting door vijandelijke troepen was immers aanzienlijk aanwezig. Uiteindelijk heeft Maurits toe moeten geven aan de dwingende wens van de Staten-Generaal en van Oldenbarnevelt. Natuurlijk werd de veldtocht van Maurits door de Spanjaarden opgemerkt en Albrecht van Oostenrijk, de opperbevelhebber in de Zuidelijke Nederlanden, besloot tot aanval over te gaan bij het Vlaamse stadje Nieuwpoort. Weliswaar waren de verliezen voor de Spanjaarden (zo′n 3000 man) aanzienlijk groter dan onder de Staatse troepen (zo′n 1000 man) en in dat opzicht was de slag gewonnen door de Staatse troepen. Maar het was een Pyrrus overwinning zonder enige winst of betekenis en kende eigenlijk alleen maar verliezers. De stad Duinkerken werd helemaal niet bereikt, bleef in Spaanse handen en de kaapvaart bleef gewoon in stand. Maurits was genoodzaakt terug te keren naar de Republiek, zonder een wezenlijk resultaat te hebben geboekt. In de nationale en internationale oorlogspropaganda werd de gewonnen slag echter als een groot succes gebracht. Er zijn in die tijd ook vele herdenkingspenningen vervaardigd. Die propaganda heeft tot aan de dag van vandaag gewerkt, van velen denken nog steeds dat deze gewonnen veldslag een geweldig succes was. Maar het werkelijke succes was feitelijk aan Spaanse zijde, want door reeds bij Nieuwpoort tot de aanval over te gaan wisten de Spanjaarden een beleg en eventuele verovering van Duinkerken te voorkomen, en dat was exact hun doel. Enig lichtpuntje voor de Republiek was wellicht de 600 man die krijgsgevangen waren gemaakt, waaronder de Spaanse veldheer Mendoza. Met deze krijgsgevangen had men een onderhandelingspositie verkregen tot het vrij krijgen van Nederlandse krijgsgevangenen in Spaanse handen door middel van uitruil. Hieronder bevond zich ook een jonge matroos die samen met zijn vader in 1598 krijgsgevangen was gemaakt, ene Piet Hein uit Delfshaven. Hij zou later, met name als kaapvaarder en luitenant-admiraal, grote successen boeken voor de Republiek, w.o. in 1624 de inname van São Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos (Brazilië) op de Portugezen en verovering van de Zilvervloot op de Spanjaarden in 1628. Hij is met recht een van onze grote zeehelden die een aanzienlijke bijdrage heeft geleverd aan het succes van de Republiek en onze Gouden Eeuw.
De relatie tussen Maurits en van Oldenbarnevelt was na deze militaire fiasco voorgoed bekoeld, en zou in later jaren tot grote fundamentele conflicten leiden tussen beide leiders met de terechtstelling (politieke moord) van Johan van Oldenbarnevelt in 1619 als triest eindresultaat. Het geeft maar aan dat politieke inmenging in militaire zaken vaak ongelukkig uitpakken, en visa versa. Een les die blijkens de moderne geschiedenis helaas nooit geleerd wordt....
Albrecht of Austria and his wife Isabella of Spain ruled over the Spanish Netherlands from 1598 until the death of Albrecht on 13th june 1621. They got it is a kind of present from Philipp II, after their marriage. Albrecht was also the military leader in the Southern Netherlands, who also played a major role in the Battle of Nieuwpoort (1600). All their children died young and after the death of Albrecht the king of Spain, Philipp IV, took over goverment over the Spanish Netherlands. Isabella was given task as regent over the Spanish Netherlands until her death in 1633.
Delmonte 163 ; van Gelder & Hoc 284-2 ; de Witte 892 ; Vanhoudt 582.MA ; CNM.2.07.46 ; Friedberg 87 RRR Kleine muntplaatoneffenheid, doch zeer attractief exemplaar. zfr à zfr+ |
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FAUSTINA THE YOUNGER, wife of Marcus Aurelius - AR Denarius, Rome (154-156)
weight 3,55gr. ; silver Ø 17mm.
obv. Draped bust of Faustina the Younger right, bare-headed, with hair waived and coiled on back of head, around the text; FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL rev. Concordia, draped, seated left on low seat, holding flower in right hand and resting left elbow on cornucopiae, set on globe, below seat, around the text; CONCORDIA
Cohen 54 ; RIC 502a ; BMC 1086 ; Sear 4704 vf/xf |
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CILICIA, SOLI (SOLOI) - AR Stater, circa 440-410 BC
weight 10,86gr. ; silver Ø circa 20mm. Persian standard.
obv. Amazon, nude to the waist, kneeling left and stringing her bow; wearing bonnet and with her gorytos at her hip; to right, facing head of satyr, all within border of dots rev. Large and plump bunch of grapes, ΣΟΛΕΩΝ at left, fly in lower right field, all within square border of dots within shallow incuse square
The word solecism, meaning a grammatical mistake or absurdity, was invented by the ancient Athenians to describe the Greek dialect spoken in Soli (Soloi), which they thought was a corrupt version of Attic. Plinius records that much wine was produced in Cilicia and Soloi′s standard type of a bunch of grapes implies that some of it was certainly made here.
The Amazons were a tribe of female warriors who supposedly originated in northern Asia Minor. They appear in a great number of Greek legends and were a favorite subject for ancient painting and sculpture (they supposedly removed their right breasts in order to be better able to throw javelins and draw their bows, but this is never shown in works of art and it seems prima facie unlikely). The engraver of this coin got out of the problem by showing the Amazon from behind, with only her left breast visible under her arm. Precisely why she appears on the coinage of Soloi is unknown and probably relates to a local myth.
BMC 3 ; SNG.Copenhagen - ; SNG.Levante 40 ; SNG.Paris 128 ; Babelon, Traité II, 538 ; Ziegler- ; Casabonne Type 2 ; SNG.von Aulock 5858 R Wonderful specimen with attractive toning. Rare. vf/xf à vf+ |
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GERMANY - JÜLICH-BERG, HERZOGTUM - JOHANN WILHELM II, 1679-1716 - 2/3 Taler or Gulden 1691, Mülheim
weight 16,49gr. ; silver Ø 37mm.
Johann Wilhelm II, Elector Palatine ("Jan Willem van de Palts" in Low German, English: "John William"; 19 April 1658 – 8 June 1716) of the Wittelsbach dynasty was Elector Palatine (1690–1716), Duke of Neuburg (1690–1716), Duke of Jülich and Berg (1679–1716), and Duke of Upper Palatinate and Cham (1707–1714). From 1697 onwards Johann Wilhelm was also Count of Megen (NL).
He was the son of Count Palatine Philip William of Neuburg and Elisabeth Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt and was born in Düsseldorf, where he resided, rather than in Heidelberg, which had been largely destroyed by French troops during the Nine Years′ War. He was educated by the Jesuits and in 1674 he made a grand tour to Italy. He married Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria in 1678. She was a daughter of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor and his third wife Eleanor of Mantua. After her death in 1689, he married Anna Maria Luisa de′ Medici, the daughter of Cosimo III de′ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany. His brother was Franz Ludwig, Count Palatine of Neuburg, his sisters were married to Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I, Peter II of Portugal and Charles II of Spain.
His father ceded the duchies of Jülich and Berg to him in 1679, before he also succeeded him as Elector Palatine in 1690. In the Peace of Rijswijk (1697), he was restored to many of the possessions which had been taken by the French, with the provision that the Electorate of the Palatinate not revert to Protestantism. This provision did not make him popular in the Palatinate and with Protestants. During the War of the Spanish succession Johann Wilhelm received also the Bavarian Upper Palatinate, which was returned to Bavaria in 1714. He died in Düsseldorf and was buried in the St. Andreas Church. Having no son, Johann Wilhelm was succeeded by his brother Charles III Philip, Elector Palatine.
KM.95 ; Noss 795d ; Davenport 588 R Minor planchet fault. Rare. vf |
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SPAIN, KINGDOM - PHILIP III, 1598-1621 - 1 Escudo 1607 C, Segovia
weight 3,34gr. ; gold Ø 19mm. mintmaster mark C (Melchior Rodriquez del Castillo) With the scutcheon of Portugal.
obv. Crowned composite coat of arms deviding aqueduct / C - value I, surrounded by the legend; PHILIP, - • III • D • G rev. Cross of Jerusalem, within quatrefoil with leafs terminating inner corners, four dots in outer fields, surrounded by the legend; • HISPANIARVM • REX • 1607
The first escudo was a gold coin introduced in 1535/1537.It succeeded the heavier gold excelente (or ducado, ducat; 3.1 g vs 3.48 g fine gold) as the standard Spanish gold coin. The double escudo (the doubloon) succeeded the doble excelente or double-ducat denomination.
This is a rare two-year-type coin and was among the first machine struck coins minted in Spain. The details on this piece are extremely strong / boldly struck and there′s still luster in the fields. Almost uncirculated.
cf. Künker 251, Lot 3184 in unc- (5.500 Euro + 20%)
Calicó 60 (old ed.); Calicó 1015 (new ed.) ; Cayón 4964 ; KM.29 ; Friedberg 194 R xf/unc à unc- |
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ZUIDELIJKE NEDERLANDEN (SOUTHERN NETHERLANDS) - GRAAFSCHAP VLAANDEREN - LODEWIJK II VAN MALE, 1346-1384 - Gouden lam z.j. (1356-1364), Gent of Mechelen
gewicht 4,65gr. ; goud Ø 31mm.
vz. Het lam Gods, met nimbus om kop, staande naar links, kop naar rechts gewend, kruis met vaandel op de achtergrond, omgeven door versiering van boogjes, daaronder LVD - CO:F′ Het geheel binnen en parelcirkel. In de buitencirkel de tekst; ✠ AGN′:DЄI:QVI:TOLL′:P′CCA:MVDI:MISЄRЄRЄ:NOB′ (horizontaal streepje boven de CA in PCCA en boven de V in MVNI) (vertaald ″Lam Gods, dat de zonden der wereld wegneemt, ontfermt u over ons″) kz. Rijk versierd gebloemd kruis met adelaars in de hoeken binnen aan raam van vier bogen met uitspringende punten, roosje in hart, omringd door de tekst; ✠•XP′C:VINCIT:XP′C:REGNAT:XP′C:INPERAT (vertaald: ″Christus overwint, Christus regeert, Christus beveelt″)
Op 20 juni 1356 gaf Lodewijk van Male opdracht tot het aanmunten van gouden lammen. Dit munttype was een navolging de de Franse Mouton d′or of Angel, dat in 1355 was ingevoerd door Jan de Goede (1350-1364). Het voorgeschreven gewicht was 4,70 gram met een goudgehalte van 24 karaat. Vanaf 24 augustus 1359 werd het gehalte verlaagd naar 23 ½ karaat. De aanmunting vond plaats zowel in Gent als in Mechelen, zonder onderscheidende kenmerken. In de Nederlanden stonden deze muntstukken bekend als ″mottoenen″.
Gaillard 210 ; Vernier 5var. ; Martiny 35-2var. ; Elsen 26 ; Delmonte 457 ; Vanhoudt G.2601 ; Vanhoudt/Saunders 261 ; Friedberg 155 R Kleine zwaktes van de slag, doch zeer attractief exemplaar met mooi gedetailleerd "Lam Gods". Zeldzaam. pr- à vf/xf |
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ZUIDELIJKE NEDERLANDEN (SOUTHERN NETHERLANDS) - GRAAFSCHAP VLAANDEREN - ROBRECHT III VAN VLAANDEREN, 1305-1322 - Sterling z.j. (circa 1317), Gent
gewicht 1,27gr. ; zilver Ø 19mm.
vz. Gekroonde portret frontaal binnen een parelcirkel. In de buitencirkel de tekst; ✠ ЄDL ROBЄRTVS COMЄS kz. Lang gevoet kruis geplaats over een parelcirkel met drie bolletjes in ieder kwartier. In de buitencirkel de tekst; MON – ЄTA – GAN – DЄS
Robrecht werd in 1249 geboren als oudste zoon van Gwijde van Dampierre en Mathilda van Bethune. Hierdoor is hij ook wel bekend als Robrecht van Dampierre of Robrecht van Bethune. Sedert 1273 was hij graaf van Nevers en na de dood van zijn vader in 1305 werd hij tevens graaf van Vlaanderen. Gent streefde in die tijd Brugge voorbij als voornaamste Vlaamse stad en behoorde tot de grootste steden van West-Europse. De Vlaamse graven hadden er sedert de 9e eeuw hun eigen burcht ″het gravensteen″. Militaire roem verwierf hij in Italië, in zijn strijd tegen de laatste Hohenstaufers, en door zijn deelname aan de achtste kruistocht in 1270. In (foutieve) geschiedschrijving en mede door de gelijknamige roman van Hendrik Conscience kreeg Robrecht de bijnaam ″De leeuw van Vlaanderen″. Hierin werd hem een heldenrol toebedacht tijdens de Guldensporenslag in 1302. Op dat moment verbleef hij echter in Franse gevangenschap en hij was dus geen deelnemer aan die veldslag bij Kortrijk. Robrecht overleed in 1322 en werd opgevolgd door zijn kleinzoon Lodewijk II van Nevers.
Robrecht liet zijn munten vooral in Aalst slaan. Toch bestaat er ook een merkwaardig Gents type: de zilveren sterling, gemaakt naar Engels voorbeeld. Het betreft hier een zeer getrouwe navolging van de penny van Edward I van Engeland (1272-1307), die dit munttype in 1279 introduceerde. Zelfs de beginletters ЄDW heeft men willen navolgen in de vorm van ЄDL ,hetgeen ″Edel″ zal betekenen, en is in die zin enig in zijn soort. Allicht was dat een handige zet om deze Vlaamse sterling overal waar de echte Engelse sterling geldig was, ook - per ongeluk - te laten aanvaarden. Er zijn maar weinig exemplaren van dit munttype bewaard gebleven en het is uitermate zeldzaam.
Robrecht mainly had his coins minted in Aalst. Yet there is also a remarkable Ghent type: the silver sterling, made after an English example. This is a very faithful imitation of the penny of Edward I of England (1272-1307), who introduced this coin type in 1279. Even the initial letters ЄDW were wanted to be imitated in the form of ЄDL, which will mean ″Edel″(”Noble”), and in that sense it is one of a kind. This was probably a handy move to have this Flemish sterling also - accidentally - accepted wherever the real English sterling was valid. Few examples of this coin type have survived and it is extremely rare.
vgl. Auktion 121 van F.R. Künker te Osnabrück, kavel 1300 (sehr schön € 6500 + 15%)
Gaillard 178 ; de Mey 92 ; Mayhew 210; Vanhoudt G2561 ; Martiny pag.84, no.15 RRR zfr- |
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VALENTINIANUS III, 425-455 - AV Solidus, Ravenna (circa 426-430)
weight 4,33gr. ; gold Ø 21mm.
obv. Rosette-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust of Valentinian III to right, surrounded by the legend; D N PLA VALENTI-NIANVS P F AVG rev. Valentinian III standing facing, holding long cross in right hand and Victory on globe in left, right foot resting a on human-headed serpent, surrounded by the legend; VICTORIA AVGGG, R - V across fields, CONOB in exergue
The reverse image symbolizes Christianity trampling the devil.
Cohen 19 ; RIC 2010 ; Depeyrot 17/1 ; DOC 841 ; Ranieri 95 ; Sear 21264 S Minor flaws of strike. Wonderful lustrous specimen. Near mintstate. unc- |
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FRANKISH EMPIRE - CAROLINGIAN DYNASTY - FRANCE - CHARLES II THE BALD, 840-877 - Denier n.d. (864-877), Tours
weight 1,50gr. ; silver Ø 19mm.
obv. Karlogram within circle. In outer circle the legend; ✠ CRΛTIΛ D ⁻ I REX rev. Short cross within circle. In outer circle the legend; ✠ HTVR◊NES CIVITΛS
In Gallic times, Tours was an important crossing point over the river Loire. It became part of the Roman Empire during the 1st century AD, and the city was named "Caesarodunum" ("hill of Caesar"). The name evolved in the 4th century when the original Gallic name, Turones, became "Civitas Turonum", and then "Tours". It was at this time that the Tours Amphitheatre was built. Tours became a metropolis in the Roman province of Lugdunum towards 380–388 AD, dominating Maine, Brittany, and the Loire Valley. One important figure in the city was Saint Martin of Tours, a bishop who shared his coat with a naked beggar in Amiens. The importance of Martin in the medieval Christian West made Tours, and its position on the route of pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, a major centre during the Middle Ages.
In the 6th century Gregory of Tours, author of the Ten Books of History, restored a cathedral destroyed by a fire in 561. Saint Martin′s monastery benefited from its inception, at the very start of the 6th century from patronage and support from the Frankish king, Clovis I, which increased considerably the influence of the saint, the abbey and the city in Gaul. In the 9th century, Tours was at the heart of the Carolingian Rebirth, in particular because of Alcuin, an abbot of Marmoutier Abbey. In 845, Tours repelled the first attack of the Viking chief Haesten. In 850, the Vikings settled at the mouths of the Seine and the Loire. Still led by Haesten, they went up the Loire again in 852 and sacked Angers, Tours and Marmoutier Abbey.
During the Middle Ages, Tours consisted of two juxtaposed and competing centres. The "City" in the east, successor of the late Roman ′castrum′, was composed of the cathedral and palace of the archbishops as well as the castle of Tours. The castle of Tours acted as a seat of the authority of the Counts of Tours (later Counts of Anjou) and the King of France. In the west, the "new city" structured around the Abbey of Saint Martin was freed from the control of the city during the 10th century (an enclosure was built towards 918) and became "Châteauneuf". This space, organized between Saint Martin and the Loire, became the economic centre of Tours. Between these two centres were Varennes, vineyards and fields, little occupied except for the Abbaye Saint-Julien established on the banks of the Loire. The two centres were linked during the 14th century. Tours became the capital of the county of Tours or Touraine, a territory bitterly disputed between the counts of Blois and Anjou; the latter were victorious in the 11th century. It was the capital of France at the time of Louis XI, who had settled in the castle of Montils (today the castle of Plessis-les-Tours, at the junction of the Loire and the Indre rivers ). Tours and Touraine remained a permanent residence of the kings and court until the 16th century. The rebirth gave Tours and Touraine many private mansions and castles, joined to some extent under the generic name of the Châteaux of the Loire. It is also at the time of Louis XI that the silk industry was introduced, despite difficulties, the industry still survives to this day.
Morrison-Grunthal 915 ; Prou 449 ; MEC I, 904 ; Gariel - (cf. XXXVI, 267) ; Depeyrot 1040 Attractive toning. vf+ |
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FRANKISH EMPIRE - CAROLINGIAN DYNASTY - FRANCE - CHARLES II THE BALD, 840-877 - Denier n.d. (864-877), Soissons
weight 1,46gr. ; silver Ø 19mm.
obv. Karlogram within circle. In outer circle the legend; ✠ CRΛTIΛ D I REX rev. Short cross within circle. In outer circle the legend; ✠ SVESSIO CIVITΛS
Soissons enters written history under its Celtic name, later borrowed into Latin, Noviodunum, meaning "new hillfort", which was the capital of the Suessiones. At Roman contact, it was a town of the Suessiones, mentioned by Julius Caesar. In 57 BC Caesar, after leaving the Axona (modern Aisne), entered the territory of the Suessiones, and making one day′s long march, reached Noviodunum, which was surrounded by a high wall and a broad ditch. The place surrendered to Caesar. From 457 to 486, under Aegidius and his son Syagrius, Noviodunum was the capital of the Kingdom of Soissons, until it fell to the Frankish king Clovis I in 486 after the Battle of Soissons.
Part of the Frankish territory of Neustria, the Soissons region, and the Abbey of Saint-Médard, founded in the sixth century, played an important political part during the rule of the Merovingian dynasty (447–751). After the death of Clovis I in 511, Soissons was made the capital of one of the four kingdoms into which his states were divided. As a tribute to Clovis and his descendants, his symbol the fleur de lys (which became a symbol France and of the monarchy) continues to be symbol of the city of Soissons. Eventually, the kingdom of Soissons disappeared in 613 when the Frankish lands were amalgamated under Chlothar II. The 744 Council of Soissons met at the instigation of Pepin the Short and Saint Boniface, the Pope′s missionary to pagan Germany, secured the condemnation of the Frankish bishop Adalbert and the missionary Clement of Ireland.
Morrison-Grunthal 805 ; Prou 278 ; MEC I, 901 ; Gariel XXXV, 248 ; Depeyrot 937 Some minor weakness of strike. Attractive toning. vf/xf |
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FRANKISH EMPIRE - CAROLINGIAN DYNASTY - FRANCE - CHARLES II THE BALD, 840-877 - Denier n.d. (864-877), Rouen
weight 1,39gr. ; silver Ø 19mm.
obv. Karlogram within circle. In outer circle the legend; ✠ X CRΛTIΛ D I REX rev. Short cross within circle. In outer circle the legend; ✠ ROTVHΛCVS CIVII
Rouen was founded by the Gaulish tribe of Veliocasses, who controlled a large area in the lower Seine valley, which today retains a trace of their name as the Vexin. The Gauls named the settlement Ratumacos and the Romans called it Rotomagus. Roman Rotomagus was the second city of Gallia Lugdunensis, after Lugdunum (Lyon). After the reorganization of the empire by Diocletian, Rouen became the chief city of the divided province of Gallia Lugdunensis II and reached the peak of its Roman development, with an amphitheatre and thermae, the foundations of which remain today. In the 5th century, it became the seat of a bishopric and later a capital of Merovingian Neustria. The city flourished during the Carolingian dynasty and was one of the important citiesAfter the first Viking incursion into the lower valley of the Seine in 841, they went on to overrun Rouen, and some of them settled and founded a colony led by Rollo (Hrolfr), who was nominated to be count of Rouen by King Charles in 911. In the 10th century Rouen became the capital of the Duchy of Normandy and the residence of the dukes, until William the Conqueror established his castle at Caen. Invaded by the Normans in 876, it became subject to the English crown after the Norman Conquest of England (1066). In 1204 the French captured Rouen, and the city prospered until the Hundred Years′ War (1337–1453), when, in 1419, it was taken by Henry V of England. In 1430 St. Joan of Arc, the patron saint of France, was imprisoned at Rouen in a tower that still stands and now bears her name.
Morrison-Grunthal 876var. ; Prou 385var. ; Depeyrot 878 ; MEC I, 893var. minor testmark on reverse vf |
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ITALY, KINGDOM - UMBERTO I, 1878-1900 - 20 Lire 1893/older date, Rome
weight 6,43gr. ; gold 900/1000 ; Ø 21,5mm. engraver Filippo Speranza
obv. Head of King Umberto I facing left, the name of the engraver (SPERANZA) in the neck-cut, 1893 below, around the legend; UMBERTO I - RE D′ITALIA rev. Savoia crowned coat of arms decorated with the Collare dell′Annunziata, deviding the value L - 20, all encircled by a wreath made by a branch of laurel and one of oak. Up the crowned shield there is the Star of Italy. Mintmark R is below the wreath, on the left.
Only 41 214 pieces minted. The 1 in the date was originally much smaller and is re-engraved (larger) and repositioned in the die. Previously produced coin dies were therefore modified here for use in 1893. Interesting variant. Rare.
KM.21var. ; Friedberg 21var. ; Pagani 587var. ; Montenegro 29var. minor bagmarks xf/unc |
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