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1 Gros - Hugh IV
| Issuer | Cyprus, Kingdom of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1324-1359 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 4.4 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | The Cross of Jerusalem — a large central cross potent with four smaller crosslets in each quadrant — occupies the central field within a beaded inner circle. The bold heraldic composition is characteristic of the Crusader states' coinage tradition and asserts the Lusignan dynastic claim to the Kingdom of Jerusalem. A double circular legend surrounds the cross, with the outer legend separated from the inner field by a beaded border. The overall style is consistent with hammered silver gros of the Cypriot Lusignan series. |
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| Reverse lettering | + IERVSAL`M E D` ChIPR (Translation: Jerusalem and Cyprus) |
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| Additional information |
Hugh IV's reign saw Cyprus at perhaps its wealthiest peak — the island had become the dominant entrepôt of eastern Mediterranean trade following the fall of Acre in 1291, and Famagusta in particular was generating revenues that reportedly rivaled those of the French crown. The gros was the workhorse of that commerce, circulating alongside Venetian grossi and Genoese deniers in the counting houses of Famagusta merchants.
Metcalf's die studies identified significant variation across the series, attributable to a long reign and continuous mint activity at Nicosia.