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Denier - Louis IV Chinon mint
| Issuer | West Francia, Kingdom of |
|---|---|
| Year | 936-954 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 1.38 g |
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| Obverse description | Diademed bust of King Louis IV facing right, rendered in a schematic Carolingian style characteristic of tenth-century West Frankish coinage. The royal effigy displays a prominent diadem or fillet across the forehead, with stylized hair indicated by parallel striated lines falling behind the neck. The facial features are boldly but crudely engraved, with a large almond-shaped eye, a pronounced nose, and a defined chin. The legend encircles the bust in the outer field, separated by a linear border. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Louis IV, called "d'Outremer" — from beyond the sea — had spent his childhood in exile at the English court of Æthelstan after his mother fled West Francia following the deposition of his father Charles the Simple. He was retrieved from England in 936 and crowned at Laon, ruling in constant friction with the great magnates, particularly Hugh the Great, who controlled more of the kingdom in practice than the king himself. The Chinon mint operated under these contested circumstances, its output reflecting a royal authority that was perpetually negotiated rather than assured.