The numismatic information on this page is from Georges DEPEYROT's Le Numeraire Carolingien, Claude Burgan/Maison Florange, Paris 1993.

Fecamp is located in western France, on the English channel. It is the site of a significant hoard of 10th century coins. The hoard was discovered in 1963. The hoard consisted of 8578 coins, covering the reign of 14 rulers. Some (Charles the Bald, Charles III, Louis IV) were in the line of Carolingian descent while others (Richard I of Normandy, Hugues) were feudal rulers. It was deposited circa 977. Depeyrot (p.72) gives the breakdown as more than 1/3 Richard I from the Rouen mint (3239 coins), Hugues (archbishop?) with 2774 coins, Charles the Bald with 1407 and the balance spread over royal and regional mints.

This coinage is a significant development in French history. From Bates (p28-9) ".. The fact that these coins were produced demonstrates (Norman) integration in to the Frankish environment: the right to control the minting of money, once a monopoly of earlier Carolingian emperors and kings was in the process of passing to territorial princes and others lower on the social scale during the tenth century." It is part of the marking of the end of Carolingian control and part of the onset of a rich profusion of feudal coinage lasting until the final emergence of modern France centuries hence. This coinage from Rouen was very much in a Carolingian style, reflecting Norman connectedness with west Francia.

Rulers represented and number of coins were

Lothaire  (840-855)	1
Charles the Bald	1407
Eudes	52
Charles III	58
Guillaume II	31
Raoul	55
Raoul  (immob)	10
Hildegrade	24
Louis (936-954)	24
Louis (immob)	21
Conrad	3
Hugues	2774
Richard	3239
Lothaire (954-986)	27

Most of the coins were from the mint at Rouen (6013) and were issued by Hugues and Richard. Charles the Bald is represented by 1407 coins. All were immobilized coins. They come from 8 mints, with the largest numbes from Quentovic (524) and Mans (731).

The site includes several coins of the Fecamp hoard style. This means they are late 10th century, similar to coins found at Fecamp, but perhaps not matching Dumas' description of similar coins, by weight. These were coins generally sold as being ex Fecamp, but it is not clear if all actually are. The first, of Richard I, is ex Fecamp by type and weight.

AR denier, 21mm, 1.155g. Obv: RICARDVS,  central + with four besants. Rev: ROTOMACVS, with 'c' on its side, central temple avec besant au center du fronton. Mint is Rouen. Dumas 773-2669. There were 46 of these coins in the 1.15 weight category, of a total of 332 of all Richard types in this weight category. This is the most common of the Fecamp coins. This was identified as 'ex Fecamp.' Not in R, PdA.
Life and times of Richard: In 911 Charles III (The Simple) gave a grant of land in Normandy to the Viking invader Rollo, in an effort to buy him off from further predation in France. He held this territory, as did his heir, William Longsword, often in conflict with his neighbors and other Vikings. When William was murdered in 942 he was succeeded by his young son (by a Breton mistress), Richard I. Richard's reign is a period of initially a fight for the survival of the Norman land grant and after this was assured by the 950s, subsequently a process of Francification, in culture, government and orientation. He became involved in Frankish politics, allying himself with Hugh Capet in the capture of Melun and later with with Odo of Blois-Chartres against Fulk III of Anjou (987-1040). He is recognized as a vassal of Hugh Capet. He is also recognized for the refounding of the abbey of Mont St Michel, destroyed by earlier Viking incursions. Source: Bates

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AR denier, 20mm, 1.249gr. Obv: RICARDVSI, central cross with four besants. Rev: ROTOMA_VS, central temple. Mint is Rouen. Dumas 21 - 772 (36 of this weight); Dup 17.

AR denier, 20mm, 1.15gr. Obv: RICARDVS, central cross with four besants. Rev: ROTOMANAaVS, central Carolingian inspired monogram, formed from G, T, H. Dumas 4147-6047. Mint is Rouen. A common Fecamp coin, with about 90 found in this weight.

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AR denier, 20mm, 1.07gr.  Obv: +RICHARDVS, central cross in a solid circle, besants in each quadrant. The legend is stylized. Rev: +ROTOMACIVS, central monogram. Mint is Rouen. The difference between the coins of Richard and Hugues issued in Richard's name is the fact that Richard generally has a temple in the reverse field while Hugues has a Carolingian style monogram in the reverse field. Sold as Ex Fecamp. Unfortunately, there is only one coin from the find with the reverse legend ..MACIVS, and that coin weighs only .93 grams. Hence, this is a contemporary coin, but not a Fecamp coin. Not in Roberts, Boud, Bel, PdA. seller id Le Gros 207-212.

AR denier, 18 mm, .95gr. Obv: GRATIA D-I REX, central KRLS monogram. Rev: TVRONES CIVITAS (?), central cross. Mint is Tours. This is a 10th C immobilized coin that was part of the Fecamp hoard. Dumas 6935+. #6952-53 are listed as .96gr. This would make this coin among the lightest in this subset of coins. This is possibly one of these two coins. The hoard included 1407 immobilized coins from Charles the Bald, most commonly from Quentovic and LeMans. There were 31 Charles the Bald Tours mint coins in the hoard.

AR denier, 20mm, 1.05gr. Obv: CIATIA DI REX, central KRLS monogram. Rev: CIIONANIS CIVTA, central cross. Mint is LeMans. This coin was also identified as from Fecamp but does not match any of the LeMans references in Dumas (7045-8357). It varies in several ways. The closest ones are 8092 CIVITA and 8355 IITA. This coin starts with CIIO which is uncommon and not paired with either of the CIVITA coins. This is in all likelihood an unusual (in that it does not appear in Dumas)  immobilized 10th C coin. Weight suggests later rather than earlier. Not in Roberts, Boud or PdA. Hugues II was count of Maine (LeMans) at this time. By the 11th C, under Herbert I (1015-36) the legend from LeMans shifted to COMES CENOMANNIS, arguing that this is in fact 10th C. It appears to be an uncatalogued coin. :)

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AR denier , 20 mm, 1.4gr. Obv: CRATIA D-I REX, central KRLS monogram. Immobilized in the name of Charles the Bald. Rev: +CIN+MANIS CIVITAS, central cross. First letters obscured but this is the most common type. Mint is Le Mans . R-; Dumas 7045-7462 or 7463-7690; PdA 1544v.

AR denier, 19mm, 1.38gr. Obv: +CRATIA D-I REX, central degenerate Carolingian monogram. Rev: CINONANIS CIVITAS, central cross. Mint is Le Mans. Dumas 7900-8086 ID's 10 of this type at this weight. Not in R.

AR denier, 20mm, 1.34g. +C(?)RATIA D-I REX, central KRLS monogram. Rev: +CINOMAS CIVITAS, central cross. Mint is Le Mans. Dumas 7045-7462 (18 this weight). This is the most common type. Very similar is 7463-7690 which has 12 coins in this weight category. PdA 1544v; not in R, Boud. This coin dates 960-80 to be in the Fecamp hoard. Latouche indicates Hugues II was count over these years.

Charles the Bald immobilzed

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AR denier, 19mm, 1.45gr. Obv: +CIATA D-I REX, central monogram, all too worn to see clearly. Rev: +CINOMANIS CIVITAS, central cross. Mint is Le Mans. Dumas 7900-8086 indicates 2 at this weight.

Bishops of Le Puy

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AR denier, 22mm, 1.05gr. Obv: SCE MARIAE, central six armed cross. Rev: +MONETA, central cross. Mint is Le Puy, c 950-980. Illegible legends. R-; Dup 837; B 372; Dumas 8522-42, several varieties; PdA 2224-28.

Today Fecamp is an attractive fishing town, with a large protected port area. This fortification is a ruin across from the Abbey de la Trinite. It is very much post Carolingian but interesting to walk through. I looked for but did not find Fecamp hoard II.

Actually, the site the hoard was found is remarkably uninteresting today. It is an intersection where whatever was there was knocked down for an singularly unattractive 1960s style building. Across the street is a pharmacy. I hesitated about posting these photos but do so for the sense of a fullness of the record. Fecamp lost an old building but found a 10th C hoard. It gained nothing of architectural interest.