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Denier - Louis III Blois mint
| Issuer | Kingdom of West Francia |
|---|---|
| Year | 879-882 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Hammered |
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| Reverse description | Central field displays a plain, boldly struck long cross with arms extending to a beaded inner circle, dividing the field into four equal quadrants that remain plain. The cross is rendered in the simple Carolingian style characteristic of deniers of this period. The marginal legend ✠ BLESΛNIS CΛSTR◊, identifying the Blois mint as 'Castle of Blois,' runs between the inner beaded circle and the outer edge of the irregular flan in Carolingian majuscules. The overall design is typical of the Carolingian denier coinage struck in the name of Louis III at provincial mints, displaying bold relief on a slightly irregular hammered flan. |
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| Mint | Blois |
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| Additional information |
Louis III ruled jointly with his brother Carloman II following the death of their father Louis the Stammerer in 879 — a succession that itself required negotiation with the Frankish magnates, who extracted significant concessions before recognizing either king. The brothers divided the realm, with Louis taking the northern and western territories. His reign ended abruptly in 882 when he died after riding his horse into a low doorway while pursuing a young woman, one of the more undignified exits in Carolingian history.
The Blois mint was active under the Carolingians as a regionally significant striking center along the Loire.