(Return to the Louis the Pious Home page Main site home page
any coins currently owned are kept in a safe deposit box
(Return to the Louis the Pious Home page Main site home page
any coins currently owned are kept in a safe deposit box
AR denier, 19mm, 1.78gr. Obv: +HLVDOVVICVS IMP, central cross. Rev: PALA / TINAMO / NETA in three lines. Palace Mint. R1122; MG 320; Dep 743 (5 examples); Prou 8; MEC 780.
AR denier 20mm, 1.8gr. Obv: +HLVDOVVICVS IMP, central cross. Rev: PARISII. R1123; MG 361; Dep 6-A1, 759 (50 examples); Prou 317; Bel 44.
AR denier, 20mm, 1.67gr. Obv: +HLVDOVVICVS IMP, central cross. Rev: BITV/RICES in two lines. Mint is Bourges. R1086; MG 410 as B..././R...; Dep 6-B1, 177 (147 examples); MEC 766 which pictures the central reverse '.'; Nouchy LP19; not in BEL.
AR denier, 21mm, 1.67gr. Obv: +HLVDOVVICVS IMP, central cross in a solid circle. Rev: META/./LLVM. Mint is Melle. R1111v (does not show the '.' separating the lines on the reverse);MG 398; Dep 6B1, 609 (11 examples); Bel 47v; seller (Singer) id Prou 715. From Roberts, "Louis the Pious redesigned the coinage in 819 and 822. Both changes involved a recall of all earlier coins and the introduction of a conspicuously different design." This coin replaced a portrait coin. Recalling previous coinage for a re-mint necessarily decreases examples of earlier coinage. This type itself was recalled in 822.
AR denier, 21mm, 1.73gr. Obv: +HLVDOVVICVS IMP, central cross. Rev: NAR/BONA. Mint is Narbonne. R1116; Dep 690 (33 examples); MG 430 (less the " . " between lines; Prou 836; Gariel XVII - 85.
AR denier, 20mm, 1.31gr. Obv: +HLVDOVVICVS IMP, central cross. Rev: +TVRO/./NES in two lines. Mint is Tours. R1145; Dep 7-B1, 1036 (47 examples); MG 371; Prou 446; MEC 785; Bel 45.
AR denier, 21mm, 1.31g. Obv: +HLVDOVVICVS IIP, central cross. Rev: +VEN/ECIAS. Mint is Venice. R1158v; MG 456v (which has 'IMP,' the more typical ending of the obverse legend); MEC 789; not in Dep (who sticks to French mints).
AR denier, 21mm, 1.63gr. Obv: +HLVDOVVICVS IMP, central cross. Rev: +METALLVM, central cross. Mint is Melle. R1181; MG 400; Dep 7 E-1, 611 (11 examples); Bel 53; Prou 722; MEC 762; Nouchy LP 34.
AR obol, 17mm, 64gr, 2nd issue. Obv: LVDO/VVIC, on two lines. Rev: +METALLVM, central cross in circle. Mint - Melle. R1164 (although reverse is closer to 1166); MG 394; MEC 777; Dep 7:E2, 608 (10 examples); Bel 52.
AR obol, 11mm, .75gr. Obv: +LDVCSIMP, central cross. Rev: NAR/./BONA on two lines. Mint is Narbonne. R1118; MG 431 (cites 5 examples, weights between .72 - .83); Dep 7B2, 691 (4 examples); Prou 837.
Third issue
(for a larger version click here)
AR denier, 20mm, 1.76 gr. Obv: +HLVDOVVICVS IMP, central cross, no besants. Rev: +XPISTIANA RELIGIO, central temple with dot in the pediment. Mint unknown. R1211v (this has a + on either side of the temple. It is cross referenced to Gariel 43-24 which also has a cross on either side of the temple. Dep 1067B (as Treves with the note "seules les monnaies XRISTIANA RELIGIO attribuees a Treves sont compatibisees ici."). He does not indicate the number studied and it is not possible to differentiate this coin from the Roberts/Gariel versions. MG- (the only coin the cite has + on either side of the temple); Prou - (whose only besantless coin matches to MG 508a which has a cross on each side of the coin, no temple); Bel -; Nouchy -. Simon Coupland (1990) says these coins which "can be attributed to Trier are primarily distinguished by the absence of pellets in the quadrants of the reverse cross." However, he goes on to say the absence of pellets is not enough (without identifying possibilities other than Trier) and Trier coins generally have "square solid lettering, the occasional inclusion of pellets in the reverse legend ... (and) solid and compact temples" and sometimes a cross on either side of the temple. This coin lacks the bracketing reverse crosses and pellets in the reverse legend. In February 2007 Simon Coupland looked at this coin and in private correspondence indicated it is 'not the right syle' to attribute to Trier. Ex. Peter Woodward Collection.
(for a larger versionclick here)
AR denier,
20.5mm, 1,62gr "(poids théorique 2,039 g, taille 1/240 L., pm. 1,688g.).
Obv: A/+ HLVDOVVICVS IMP. (Louis empereur). Croix cantonnée de quatre
besants. Rev: R/XPISTIANA RELIGIO. (Religion chrétienne).
Temple tétrastyle avec un fronton triangulaire sommé d'une
croisette, une croix au centre posée sur deux degrés. Flan
large et régulier. Monnaie bien centrée." Description from
CGB catalogue Monnaies VIII item 1055. Louis took the mint name off his
coins after 822 and standardized the coinage. These 'temple style' coins
can't be identified by mint, but there are variations among them on the
reverse. Roberts notes that "over 5000 specimans of this type have survived,
making it the commonist in the Carolingian series." Roberts 1208;
MG 472 (the most common type. The R/MG concordance matches to R1216.);
Depeyrot 8 A1 (p.41) and 1179 (sans atelier), (794 examples); Belaubre
58-60.
"La légende de revers
(la religion chrétienne), inaugurée par Charlemagne, s'accompagne
de la représentation d'un temple. C'est une nouvelle preuve de l'union
du pouvoir politique et de l'Église inaugurée en 754 par
le premier carolingien, Pépin le Bref. Un changement de taille dans
les deniers intervient vers 822. Il est alors fabriqué 20 sous ou
240 deniers dans une livre de 18 onces, ce qui donne un poids théorique
de 2,039 g. Ce type va être frappé pendant plus de deux siècles
dans l'Occident médiéval. Le denier au temple est normalement
une monnaie anonyme, sans lieu d'émission. Néanmoins, certains
ateliers caractéristiques ont pu être isolés : c'est
le cas de Dax, Orléans, Dorestadt, Maastricht, Trèves, Milan
et Venise. Nous avons certainement affaire à un exemplaire posthume
mais de bon poids (1,65 g), antérieur à la fin du IXe siècle.
Ces monnaies ont été imitées par Louis le Germanique
(840-876), Louis II le Bègue (877-879) ou Louis III de Saxe (876-882)
ou enfin Louis III de France (879-882), sans oublier Louis III l'Aveugle
(901-905)."
AR denier, 20mm, 1.71gr. Obv: +HLVDOVVICVS IMP, central cross with four besants. Rev: +XPISTIANA RELIGIO, central temple. R1201; MG 472 (R/MG concordance does not match 472 to 1201 - no MG match for R1201); Dep 8 A1, 1179 (794 examples); Bel 58-60.
AR denier, 19mm, 1.50gr.. Obv. Obv: +HLVDOVVICVS IMP, central cross with four besants. Rev: +XPISTIANA RELIGIO, central temple with a large cross, spikes on vertical pillars. R1201v; MG 472; Dep 8 A1, 1179 (sans atelier); Bel 58-9. Seller (Singer) id MEC 794.
AR denier, 20mm, 1.51gr. Obv: HLVDOVVICS IMP, central cross, four besants. Rev: +XPISTIANA RELIGIO, temple with spikes vertical columns. R 1201v (pillar type not evident in sources); MG472v (spiked pillars not noted in any descriptions); Dep 8 A1, 1179; Bel 58v-59v; Seller (Singer) id MEC ___.
AR denier, 20mm, 1.66gr. Obv: +HLVDOVVICVS IMP, central cross with four besants. Rev: +XPISTIANA RELIGIO, central temple set high in the field. R 1201; MG 472; Dep 8-A1, 1179 (794 examples), Bel 58-60.
(for a larger version click here)
AR denier, 21mm, 1.63gr. Obv: +HLVDOVVICVS IMP, central cross with dots in each quadrant. Rev: +XPISTIANA RELIGIO, dot in R of RELIGIO, central temple. MG 472, the most common type; Dep 8, A1 (794 examples as a general type. The Series F Milan ids as "lettres plus plates, croix pattees, globes in legends);" Bel 54-58; seller Pegasi ids as "Italian style; pellet in R," and cites MEC 971v. MEC (1:217) decribes coins of Milan as with "pellets between or inside letters as privy marks, a feature peculiar to this mint and found on Louis's Calsses 1 and 2."
AR denier, 18mm, 1.35gr. Obv: +HLVDOVVICVS IMP, central cross with elongated arms. Rev: +XPISTIANA RELIGIO, central temple. Mint is Milan. R1217 as possibly Milan; Dep 1179 as a catch all category for this type. He notes Copeland's Series F covers the Milanese coins. Prou 999 without a geographic identifier. MEC 792 as Pavia. Copeland (Money and Coinage under Louis the Pious, p. 43) argues that this type of coin is very similar to Milan, just missing the besants in each quadrant. He specifically says "it would be wrong to ascribe any particular coins in this group to Pavia or any Italian mint other than Milan," pointedly saying this particularly applies to MEC 792.
AR obole, 16mm, 0.77gr., Fineness per thousand : +950°/oo. Obv: +NLVDOVVICVS IMP. Translation : (Louis, empereur). Description : Croix cantonnée de quatre besants. Rev: XPISTIANA RELICO. Translation : (Religion chrétienne). Description : Temple tétrastyle avec un fronton triangulaire sommé d'une croisette, une croix au centre posée sur deux degrés. Description of the condition of the coin : Flan large et régulier. Monnaie bien centrée. Petites concrétions vertes et superficielles au revers. Rarity level: R; Condition: TTB. Reference number in specialised litterature: CGB Monnaies IX #873 (description CGB); MG. 473; Roberts 1241; Depeyrot 8A2, 822-40, 1180 (no mint); Nouchy LP #7.
"Louis, qui était roi d'Aquitaine depuis 781, devint empereur sans problème à la mort de son père en 814, seul fils légitime survivant. Dans la première partie de son règne, jusqu'à l'année 829, il continua l'œuvre de son père et son monnayage. La naissance de Charles d'un second mariage en 823 avec Judith de Bavière va amener ses autres fils, Lothaire, Pépin et Louis à se révolter contre lui. Il fut détrôné deux fois en 830 et 833 et le royaume resta divisé jusqu'à sa mort en 840."
Louis was a son of Charlemagne. Louis sought to maintain stability in France, which which was complicated by problems of succession and ultimately led to the partition of the country. His efforts to maintain unity failed. Lothaire (first son by his first wife and co-emperor) took control of lands from Flanders to Italy, Louis (son by his first wife) lands in Germany and Charles (son by Judith, his second wife) in western France. Charles, known as the Bald, controlled the territory through which is traced the royal French lineage. He also assumed the territory (Aquitaine) of his half brother Pepin after Pepin's death. Louis ended a broken man and was 'detrone' (dethroned). Louis was a strong supporter of the Benedictine monastic movement and the partition of the country ran counter to the interests of the increasingly political papacy, which saw itself losing influence since rule in France was spread among a number of heirs. Pierre Riche' in The Carolingians offers a good discussion of the times.
