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Denier - Henry I Lamb
| Issuer | Duchy of Brabant |
|---|---|
| Year | 1210-1235 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 0.58 g |
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| Obverse description | Central device depicting a standing lamb (Agnus Dei) facing left, rendered in a stylized, primitive manner characteristic of early 13th-century Brabantine coinage. The lamb's body is decorated with pellets arranged in a scattered pattern, conveying the wool texture. Abbreviated letters appear in the field around the lamb, partially legible due to the irregular flan and worn surfaces. The design is enclosed within a plain or beaded border. The overall style reflects the crude yet expressive artistry typical of hammered medieval deniers from the Low Countries. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A large ornate cross pattée with splayed arms occupies the full field, each arm decorated with radiating lines and pellets, creating a sunburst or floriated effect. Small annulets (rings) and pellets are placed in the angles between the cross arms and at the tips, adding decorative richness. A central raised boss marks the intersection of the cross arms. The entire design is enclosed within a beaded border, consistent with the hammered coinage tradition of early 13th-century Brabant. The reverse exhibits the bold, geometric style typical of contemporary Low Countries ecclesiastical and ducal issues. |
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| Additional information |
Henry I of Brabant ruled during a period of aggressive territorial consolidation, extracting minting rights from ecclesiastical authorities and establishing ducal coinage as the dominant currency across the low Meuse and Dyle regions. The lamb type is among his earlier issues, predating the broader monetary reforms that followed his campaigns against the Bishop of Liège in the 1210s.
The extremely low silver content relative to nominal value reflects the progressive debasement already underway in Brabantine coinage by this period — a trend that would accelerate dramatically under his successors.