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Denier - Bertha of Swabia
| Issuer | Lorraine, Duchy of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1176-1195 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Facing bust of Bertha of Swabia, depicted in high relief in the Romanesque style, wearing a crown or diadem and veil with draped garments. The figure holds a sceptre or staff to the left and raises the right hand, possibly in a gesture of authority. The legend BERTA appears in the field to the left of the bust. The portrait is enclosed within a plain inner border, with the characteristic irregular flan edge typical of hammered medieval deniers. |
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| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
Bertha of Swabia, daughter of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, became Duchess of Lorraine through her marriage to Frederick IV in 1171. Following her husband's death in 1176, she administered the duchy during the minority of her son Theobald I, and coins issued under her name reflect that regency authority — a rare instance of a woman holding effective ducal power in the Lotharingian succession.
The Flon and Saulcy references place this among a small documented group, and surviving examples are genuinely scarce.