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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Medieval & Modern Coins||View Options:   | | |
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R. Pesant in "Three Additional Folles Presumably of Joscelyn of Edessa" in NumCirc 100/9 (Nov 1992), pp. 302 - 303, attributed very similar coins to Joscelin I de Courtenay, count of Edessa. He read the inscription in the angles of the cross as corrupt Latin naming Joscelyn. The legend and attribution remain less than certain.BZ113807. Bronze follis, see Pesant NumCirc 1992 p. 302 - 303 (for similar types); Metcalf Crusades -; Malloy CCS -; Wäckerlin -, Porteous -, aVF, crude, irregularly shaped flan, weight 5.211 g, maximum diameter 21.9 mm, die axis 180o, Mesopotamia, Edessa (Urfa, Sanliurfa, Turkey) mint, c. 1119 - 1131; obverse nimbate and crowned bust of a Saint facing, gospels in his right hand, cross in his left hand; reverse large cross with uncertain legend in angles; ex Leu Numismatik web auction 26 (8-13 Jul 2023), lot 5993; ex European collection formed before 2005; extremely rare;
Crusaders, County of Edessa, Joscelin I de Courtenay, 1119 - 1131
R. Pesant in "Three Additional Folles Presumably of Joscelyn of Edessa" in NumCirc 100/9 (Nov 1992), pp. 302 - 303, attributed very similar coins to Joscelin I de Courtenay, count of Edessa. He read the inscription in the angles of the cross as corrupt Latin naming Joscelyn. The legend and attribution remain less than certain.BZ113788. Bronze follis, see Pesant NumCirc 1992 p. 302 - 303 (for similar types); Metcalf Crusades -; Malloy CCS -; Wäckerlin -, Porteous -, VF, crude, harshly cleaned, irregularly shaped flan, edge crack, weight 4.131 g, maximum diameter 21.0 mm, die axis 90o, Mesopotamia, Edessa (Urfa, Sanliurfa, Turkey) mint, c. 1119 - 1131; obverse nimbate and crowned bust of a Saint facing, gospels in his right hand, cross in his left hand; reverse large cross with uncertain legend in angles; ex Leu Numismatik web auction 26 (8-13 Jul 2023), lot 5989; ex European collection formed before 2005; extremely rare;
France, Henri IV, 2 August 1589 - 14 May 1610
This variety is unpublished in the primary references. Henri Hoffmann in Les Monnaies Royales De France Depuis Hugues Capet Jusqu'ã Louis XVI (1884) does list the 4 vice IIII legend variation on other types, a quarter ecu of Navarre and an eighth of Béarn and Navarre, for example. ME112523. Silver 1/4 Ecu, Ciani 1517 var., Duplessy 1224 var., Legros 1066 var., Hoffmann 28 var. (all rev. leg. IIII vice 4, etc.); cf. Hoffmann 29 (Navarre), VF, toned, weight 9.549 g, maximum diameter 29.3 mm, die axis 135o, Bayonne mint, 1590; obverse SIT•NOMEN+DOMINI•BENEDICVM (Blessed be the name of the Lord, Bayonne mintmark), crowned shield of France (three fleurs-de-lis), II - II flanking across field, Bayonne mintmark (and control marks) at 6:00: +L+(flower)(anchor); reverse + HENRICVS4•D•G•FRAN•E•NAVA•R•1590 (Henry IV, by the Grace of God, King of France and Navarre, 1590), Foliate cross, quatrefoil around cross of five pellets at center, lily arms, pellet at each end; ex Karl Stephens;
Anglo-Gallic, Richard II, 1377 - 1399
Richard II's posthumous reputation has been shaped to a large extent by William Shakespeare, whose play Richard II portrayed Richard's misrule and his deposition as responsible for the 15th-century Wars of the Roses.ME113073. Silver Hardi d'Argent, Withers AGC 275B, 1/a; Elias 228a (S) var. (obv. legend); Duplessy Féodales 1136 var. (legends); SCBC-SII 8143, VF, dark toning, clashed obv. die, weight 1.184 g, maximum diameter 20.2 mm, die axis 135o, Aquitaine mint, 1377 - 1399; obverse Latin: RICARD' R• AGLIE (Richard King England), half-length figure of the king facing beneath Gothic canopy, sword in right hand resting on right shoulder, pointing with left hand; reverse Latin: FRA-CIE - DnS - AQI (France, Lord of Aquitaine), long cross pattée, leopard in first and fourth quarters, lis in second and third quarters; ex Gordon Andreas Singer (Greenbelt, MD);
Anglo-Gallic, Richard II, 1377 - 1399
Richard II's posthumous reputation has been shaped to a large extent by William Shakespeare, whose play Richard II portrayed Richard's misrule and his deposition as responsible for the 15th-century Wars of the Roses.ME113074. Silver Hardi d'Argent, Withers AGC 275B, 13(?)/d; Elias 228a (S) var. (legends); Duplessy Féodales 1136 var. (legends); SCBC-SII 8143, aVF, dark tone, ink museum number on obverse, weight 0.886 g, maximum diameter 19.1 mm, die axis 345o, Aquitaine mint, 1377 - 1399; obverse Latin: RICARD' RX• AGLIE (or similar, Richard King England), half-length figure of the king facing beneath Gothic canopy, sword in right hand resting on right shoulder, pointing with left hand; reverse Latin: •FRAC-IE Dn-S•AQI-TAnE (France, Lord of Aquitaine), long cross pattée, leopard in first and fourth quarters, lis in second and third quarters;
South Africa, Elizabeth II, 5 Shillings, 1959
Key date!UK112524. Silver 5 Shillings, SCWC KM52, Choice UNC, weight 28.200 g, maximum diameter 38.8 mm, die axis 0o, Pretoria mint, 1959; obverse ELIZABETH II REGINA, young laureate portrait of Queen Elizabeth II right; reverse SUID-AFRIKA · 1959 · SOUTH AFRICA (bilingual Afrikaans-English), springbok right, 5s below; rare;
Islamic, Sphero-Conical "Mercury" Vessel, 9th - 15th Century
Sphero-conical vessels have been found from the Levante to Central Asia, dating from the 9th to 15th century A.D. More than 30 are in the Palestine Archaeological Museum and many others in collections in Jerusalem. Shape, style and decor vary greatly. They have been identified as vessels, fire grenades, aeolipiles, plumb bobs, and decorative finials.
R. Ettinghausen in "The Use of Sphero-Conical Vessels in the Muslim East" (1965) discusses specimens that have been found with traces of Mercury inside. In the Muslim world, mercury was used in medicinal drugs for headaches, paralysis, palsy, deafness, insanity, and loss of vision, as a tonic, and in salves employed against scabs, itch and mange. It was used in veterinary medicines and as poison against lice, mice, snakes and scorpions. In industry, it was used for backing of mirrors and embellishments. Ettinghausen notes, however, that despite conclusive evidence for use as mercury containers, this was not their exclusive function.
A. Ghouchani and C. Adle in "A Sphero-Conical Vessel as Fuqqa'a, or a Gourd for 'Beer'" (1992) provide convincing evidence that some of these vessels, especially some inscribed with Kufic, were used for storing and drinking beer. Examples of inscriptions include:
"As long as it is full, they will kiss it, When empty they will drop it."
"Do not give your heart to woman, because they will make a gourd of beer out of a man."
"Drink to your good health."
Literature and inscriptions indicate the "gourds" were placed in ice to cool the beer and the beer was under pressure and would gush out after the gourd was opened.
In one case, these "gourds" were actually used as grenades. The Arab historian Al-Damiri (1341 - 1404), wrote, "There are deadly scorpions around Nasibayn. It is said that they originated from Shahr-i Zur. A king encircled Nasibayn. He took the scorpions and put them into beer gourds and catapulted them into the city!"AA99527. See Ettinghausen (1965) and Ghouchani-Adle (1992) for discussions of the type, near Choice, repaired crack, chips, tip of "cone" missing; 13.5cm tall, 12cm diameter, probably pre-Mongol, 9th - mid 13th century; unusual pine-cone decor (we did not find another in references or online), ex Mera Antiq (Yossi Eilon, Tel Aviv, 25 Jun 2013), found in Israel;
Crusaders, Principality of Antioch, Raymond of Poitiers 1136 - 1149 A.D.
Raymond of Poitiers was Prince of Antioch from 1136 to 1149. He was the younger son of William IX, Duke of Aquitaine and his wife Philippa, Countess of Toulouse, born in the very year that his father the Duke began his infamous liaison with Dangereuse de Chatelherault.CR113210. Bronze AE 16, Malloy CCS p. 203, 17; Metcalf pl. 18, 462; Schlumberger pl. 2, 19, VF, dark patina, tight flan as usual, weight 0.715 g, maximum diameter 16.2 mm, die axis 90o, Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) mint, 1136 - 1149 A.D.; obverse R A M in ornamental style within a triangular pattern; reverse AN/TIOC/HIE in three lines; very rare;
France, Henri II, 31 March 1547 - 10 July 1559
In June 1559, Henry was injured in a jousting tournament held to celebrate the treaty, the April 1559 Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis, which ended the Italian Wars. He died ten days later after his surgeon, Ambroise Paré, was unable to cure the wound.WO113445. Silver teston du moulin, Duplessy 989, Ciani 1279, Lafaurie 827, Roberts 3534, Sombart 4584, gF, toned, scratches and marks, weight 9.252 g, maximum diameter 28.0 mm, die axis 180o, Paris mint, 1553, type 3e; obverse HENRICVS. II. DEI. G. FRANCOR. REX (Henri II, by the grace of God, King of France), laureate head of the King right; reverse + CHRS VINCIT CHRS REGNAT CHRS IMP E 1553 (Christ conquers, Christ reigns, Christ commands), crowned shield arms of France, A below; first example of this type handled by Forum; ex Gordon Andreas Singer (Greenbelt, MD); scarce;
Anglo-Gallic, Edward III, 25 January 1327 – 21 June 1377
The Aquitanian title on both sides seems to suggest this coin was struck c. 1325 - 1326, when Edward III was Duke of Aquitaine but not yet King of England, but Elias dates the type the second half of the 1350's based on style. This type and similar billon Anglo-Gallic coins looked silver when issued, but after some use turned black, hence their nickname, "black money." They were usually hastily and poorly struck, heavily circulated and worn, and seldom hoarded. Surviving examples are now rare and mostly low grade. This type is very rare.ME112522. Billon obole au lion, Elias 110c (RR), Duplessy Féodales 1109 var. (obv. title ED':REX: ARGLIE), Boudeau 503 var. (same), aVF, broken with fragment lost, clashed obv. die, deposits, corrosion, weight 0.489 g, maximum diameter 14.9 mm, die axis 270o, Bordeaux(?) mint, 4th type, 1350 - 1360; obverse + ED' : DVX : AeITANIE (Edward, Duke of Aquitaine), leopard passant left on straight line, mB' (Moneta Burdegalensis?) below line; reverse +DVX : AeITANIE (Duke of Aquitaine), short cross pattée within inner circle, pellet under crown in second angle; ex Gordon Andreas Singer, very rare with the Aquitanian title on both sides!;
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