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Medieval Gold Coins

It is far easier for the numismatist to define the Medieval (middle age) period than for the historian. Medieval coins are flat, large, bombastic pieces that replace iconography of Christ with iconography of men inspired by Christ: Kings and Knights and Saints, while Christ is relegated to peripheral legends.

This is especially true for French, English, and Spanish coinage which were principally minted for Royal purposes such as war, large scale building, and as presentation pieces designed to show off wealth and power.

Meanwhile the trade coinage of Florence (beginning 1252)and Venice (beginning 1282) were based on economies of bankers, merchants, and businessmen, and thus exhibit far more cointinuity in use and presentation with the Byzantine Solidus.

Late Byzantine coinage continues to play a role in trade (though in ever degraded form) through the fall of Constantinople in 1453.

Though the West falls into a relative intellectual Darkness in the medieval period (with the exception of Italy), in the Middle East it is the period of the Islamic Golden Age. The Muslim Princes produced an extensive gold coinage, but on account of the prohibition against graven images it is a coinage that is exceedingly difficult to destinguish for the Western eye. Strange, (at least to me), they did produce graven images on silver coins - like the beautiful dirham below.

Crusader gold coinage is imitative of Islamic coinage.

A NOTE ON QUALITY: Most advanced medieval collectors prize coins that are well struck and centered on a full round flan, without chips, cracks or frayed edges; while grading companies look only at "Existing mint lustre." Thus encapsulated grades are near worthless at auction.

It is important to remember, too, that in high grade medieval gold is very rare compared to all other periods, even ancient gold. This is because a) the pieces are large, thin and very low relief, so they are easily distressed, and b) because of the breakdown of international trade, gold was everywhere in very short supply.

click the coins to see larger images:

SELJUQ OF RUM, KAYKHUSRU II, (GIYATH AL DIN) 634-644 AH / 1236-1245 AD, AR DIRHAM, STRUCK AT SIVAS, IN 639 AH, (CLEAR MINT AND DATE) SUN AND LION MOTIF, ALBUM TYPE 1218, MITCHINER MWIS-982

EF (superior for the issue)..........$425

The first crusade to "liberate Jerusalem", dating from 1096, was instigated by Pope Gregory VII and Byzantine emperor Alexios I. It followed the violent anti schismatic movement of orthodox Christianity that spread through all of Europe, Scandinavia and the Balkans in the 11th century. Though this period marked the beginning of the end of Byzantine power, Byzantine culture spread through Europe, much as Greek culture had spread through Imperial Rome, upon the demise of Greece.

It is an amusing note that the blundered kufic inscriptions included on crusader coinage read: Obverse outer: "Mohammad is the messenger of God; he sent him with the guidance and the rightful religion to make it prevail over all other religions, even if the polytheists dislike it "And inner:: "there is no God but Allah; Ali is the representative of Allah." Reverse outer: "In the name of God of mercy, the merciful, struck was this dinar at Alexandria in the year four and five hundred. Inner: "Father of Ali, the commander by the laws of God, the prince of the believers "

CRUSADERS, Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem Balduin III., 1143-1163.
AV Bezant (3.94 g).sarracinatus, early type with perfectly legible Arabic legends,
imitating a dinar of the Fatimid caliph al-Amir, dated 514 H, but without mint name, probably struck in Jerusalem. Balog/Yvon 23. Provenance D Vagi
EF..........................$1050

CRUSADERS, Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. AV Bezant (3.92 gm). Imitating the Dinar of Caliph al-Amir. Acre mint. Third phase, circa 1187-1260 or later. Legible but crude Cufic inscriptions on obverse and reverse; : in central panel of reverse. Balog & Yvon 32; Metcalf, Crusades p. 49 Rare
Provenance: Yakov Meshorer's personal collection
EF................................$1350

ITALY SICILY

Roger II., 1105 - 1154. Gold Tari..(1,01 g.) kufic script / IC-XC/ NI-KA around cross Spahr 63 var.

EF for the issue.....................$375

KINGS of FRANCE. Philip IV. Le Bel
1284-1314. AV Agnel d'Or (4.04 gm). Struck 1311.
Lamb of God with banner on trefoil cross; Ph RX below / . Duplessy 212; Ciani 199; Friedberg 258.
Extremely Rare, esp in this condition, and of the highest historical significance.

EF...............................$21,500

Spain, Castile and Leon, Pedro the Cruel (1350-69), gold Dobla, (4.49g.), Seville, crowned, draped bust left, petrvs dei gracia rex castelle e legoni, rev. arms, quartered castles and lions, legend as obverse but ends legonis (Cay.1212; F.105) Very Rare. lovely portrait
(Once graded NGC AU 58)

Near EF.......................$5600

SPAIN, Castile & Leon. Juan II.
1406-1454. AV Dobla Alba de la Banda (4.62 gm, 3h). Seville mint. IOhANES:DEI:GRACIA:REX:LEGIONIS coat-of-arms with diagonal band issuing
from the mouths of lions / +IOhANES:DEI:GRACIA:REX:CASTELL coat-of-arms of Leon and Castile; ME 143; Burgos 567; unusually well struck.
Near EF.........................$2800

Low Countries, Flanders, Louis de Maele

(1346-84), Flandres d'or (Franc à Pied) (4.21g.), Ghent, king standing with ermines on cloak, rev. initials flad and cross in quadrilobe (Del.464; Fr.161) Rare
Provenance Ponterio

EF........................$4600

Low Countries Flanders Louis de Male

1346-1384. Lion heaumé d'or.
AV (5.36 g.) Lion with helmet seated l. Rev. Initials and cross. Fr. 101. Delmonte 77,460. Rare

Provenance CNG
EF............................$5500

.Low Countries, Brabant, Jean & Wenceslas
(1355-83), Peter d'or, 4.09g., Louvain, half bust of St. Peter nimbate, behind shield, wenceslas z iohana, rev. floriate cross, dei gra brab dvces (Del.45; De W.390; F.11
(once graded NGC MS62)

EF....................$2700

Low Countries, Flanders. Philippe Le Bon.
1419-1467. AV Lion d'Or (4.20 gm, 4h) Bruges mint. Struck after 18 January 1454. Lion seated left in Gothic arch; briquets to either side / Coat-of-arms of Burgundy and Flanders over cross fleurée; Delmonte, d'Or 489; Friedberg 185 Rare

EF....................................$3400

ITALY, Florence republic
(1252-1452)

Gold Florin (3.54gm.)

Lily Florentia
St. John S.Iohannes B., control mark "S"

spot of encrustation at 2 o'clock of obverse, otherwise:
Choice EF..............................$2100