Otto I died in May 973, and these deniers were struck in his name at Augsburg for nearly a decade after his death — a routine practice in medieval minting where a predecessor's name conferred legitimacy on issues well into a successor's reign. The Augsburg mint operated under close episcopal oversight, and its output during this window reflects the consolidation of Ottonian authority in Swabia following the turbulent years of ducal succession.
Hahn's Radas classification separates this type by subtle die characteristics that are easily overlooked without direct comparison pieces.
Otto I died in May 973, and these deniers were struck in his name at Augsburg for nearly a decade after his death — a routine practice in medieval minting where a predecessor's name conferred legitimacy on issues well into a successor's reign. The Augsburg mint operated under close episcopal oversight, and its output during this window reflects the consolidation of Ottonian authority in Swabia following the turbulent years of ducal succession.
Hahn's Radas classification separates this type by subtle die characteristics that are easily overlooked without direct comparison pieces.