Catalog
See full images - free registration
Continue with Google - no registration!
or register with email
Why register? Just to keep bots out of our catalog. Your email stays private - we will never share it or send you anything uninvited. We guarantee you that!
Denier - Charlemagne Mainz, monogram
| Issuer | Unified Carolingian Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 768-814 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Silver |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Central field displays the Carolingian royal monogram — a complex interlaced cipher composed of the letters C, A, R, L, O and V (forming CAROLUS), arranged in a cruciform pattern with interlocking strokes, a hallmark of Charlemagne's administrative coinage. A small cross is visible to the right of the monogram within the field. The surrounding circular legend * MOGONTIΛ (Mogontia — Mainz) is inscribed between the inner border and the raised rim in irregular Latin capitals, identifying the issuing mint. The overall design reflects the Carolingian administrative reform coinage introduced to standardize currency across the Frankish Empire. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Plain |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
Charlemagne's monetary reform of c. 793–794, enacted at the Council of Frankfurt, fundamentally restructured Frankish silver coinage — heavier blanks, tighter weight standards, and production concentrated at authorized royal mints. Mainz was among the most productive of these, sitting at a critical junction of Rhine trade routes. The monogram type belongs to this reformed series, not the earlier, lighter issues of the 768–793 period.
The Carolingian pound was redefined at roughly 408 grams, yielding 240 deniers — a ratio that persisted across Western Europe for centuries. This particular piece at 1.69g sits at the lower edge of the reformed standard, consistent with documented weight drift in later production runs from Mainz.