Coins of Northern Italy

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Carolingian
Louis the Pious (814-840)
Second Issue - after 818-9

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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).

The lagoons of  Venetia had been a refuge during times of barbarian invasions of Italy. People took refuge here in the 5th C when the Huns came through and again in the middle of the 6th C as the Lombards came into Italy. This latter invasion was more permanent and the Lombard presence eroded Byzantine control over Italy and Venetia. In the 8th C the office of Doge (Dux) came into being as in indication of growing Venetian independence from Byzantine control. Venice began to separate itself from the mainland and establish itself as a maritime power. On the mainland, the pope was pressed by the Lombards and invited Charlemagne's help. He conquered the Lombards and extended his territorial grasp, in the person of his son Pippin, to Venice. Venice was torn between looking westward or remaining Byzantine in focus. The Byzantine empire mustered its forces against the Carolingians and in return for their recognition of him as emperor of the west, Charlemagne did not press the issue. This coin dates from the brief period of Carolingian hegemony in Italy. Louis the Pious is a son of Charlemagne.


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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.

Lothar I (840-855)

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AR denier, 22mm, 1.41gr. Obv: +HLOTHARIVS IMP AV, central cross. Rev: PAPIA on one line. Mint is Pavia. R1932; MG 556; Dep 7A1, 780J (31 examples); Prou 904; MEC 822 (which defines the TH as ‘ligatured’).

HRE
Otto 1: Holy Roman Emperor (962-973)
Otto I (961-973)

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AR denier, 17mm, 1.14gr. Obv: + IMPERATOR, central OTTO. Rev: +VVGVSTVS, central PAVIA. Mint is Pavia. Biaggi 1823. Thomsen/Erslev 2011 cited by Hagadorn.

Otto II - III (973-1002, III 983-1002)

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AR denier, 16mm, 1.07gr. Obv: +IMPERATOR, central OTTO monogram. Rev: + _ _ _ CIVI, central Papia. Mint is Pavia. Seller id's as Otto III but I don't have the resources to differentiate.


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AR denier, 22mm, 1.15gr. Obv: +OTOIMIIIATOI, central cross with four besants. This is a variation on OTTO IMPERATOR. Rev: degenerate legend, central temple. Mint is Milan. Biaggi 1406 as Otto II-III.

Henry III, IV or V (1039-1125)

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AR denier, .66gr, 15mm. Obv: +IMPERATOR, central H. Rev: ENRICVS, central LV.CA. Mint is Lucca. Biaggi 1058. Biaggi cites a denero at 17mm and 1.14gr and a billon mezzo denero at 134mm and .35gr. This coin falls between them in weight and diameter, but the mezzo denero has a reverse cross, bot on this coin.

Feudal

Republic of Genoa (1139-1339)

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AR denero, 14mm, .64gr. Obv: +.IA.NV.A, central castle. Rev: +CVNRADI REX, central cross. Mint is Genoa. Biaggi 835.

Barnabo Visconti (1354-85)

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AR pegione, 25mm, 2.49gr. Obv: +DOMIN BNABOS, central chimera and dragon. Rev: +DOMIN MEDIOLI, central snake with chimera. Mint is Milan. Biaggo 1464.

Gian Galeazzo Visconti (1395-1402)

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Denero 14mm, .47gr. Obv: +COMES.VIRTVTVM, cental cross. Rev: D.MEDIOLANI 3C, central omego GZ. Mint is Milan. Biaggi 1482. 


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Grosso o pegione, 2.08gr, 23mm., Obv: .COMES.VIRTVTM.D.MEDIOLANI 3C, central cross. Rev: S.ABROSIV' MEDIOLAN, central seated figure. Mint is Milan, Biaggi 1477. Ebay.it,