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Denier - Otto I / Otto II as emperors, temple
| Issuer | Italy, Kingdom of |
|---|---|
| Year | 962-983 |
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| Currency | Pound (781-1024) |
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| Obverse description | Central field features a plain cross with a pellet in each of the four angles, all enclosed within a beaded inner circle. A circular legend in Latin characters surrounds the beaded border, reading the imperial title of Otto. The flan is irregular and slightly uneven, characteristic of hand-struck hammered coinage of the Ottonian period. The lettering is bold and relatively well-preserved, arranged around the full circumference of the coin. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A highly stylized and degenerate architectural representation of a temple or church facade occupies the central field, enclosed within a beaded inner circle. The structure is rendered schematically with a triangular pediment at the top and a grid-like arrangement of vertical and horizontal lines suggesting columns and archways, with the inscription elements II+IP integrated within the colonnade area. A partially legible and degenerate Latin legend encircles the design, referencing the Christian religion. The overall execution reflects the progressive stylistic degradation typical of late Ottonian Italian deniers struck by multiple hands over a prolonged period. |
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| Additional information |
This denier was struck at Pavia, the traditional capital of the Lombard kingdom and the city where Carolingian and then Ottonian rulers were crowned kings of Italy before proceeding to Rome for imperial coronation. Otto I took the Italian crown in 951 and returned in 962 specifically to be crowned emperor by Pope John XII — a coronation he then leveraged to depose that same pope within the year. The overlap in attribution between Otto I and Otto II reflects a co-regency period beginning 967, when Otto I had his son crowned co-emperor to secure succession.