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Denier with crescent - Immobilization of Louis IV
| Issuer | Angoulême, County of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1170-1245 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Denier (1⁄240) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | A small central cross is surrounded by three annulets and a crescent, symmetrically arranged in the four quadrants of the field within an inner beaded circle. The annulets are rendered as raised rings with a central pellet, and the crescent appears in one of the quadrants, its position varying by die variety. The composition is enclosed within a beaded inner circle with the legend running to the outer beaded rim. The reverse type is diagnostic of the comital coinage of Angoulême and serves to distinguish it from related Carolingian imitative issues. |
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| Additional information |
The counts of Angoulême, like dozens of other French feudal lords, resolved their minting problem by freezing a royal type in place — in this case, a denier of Louis IV — and continuing to strike it essentially unchanged for generations after the king who inspired it had died. This practice of immobilization suited both the issuing authority, who gained the prestige of a royal-looking coin, and local merchants, who received a recognizable currency without the disruption of frequent type changes. The specific addition of the crescent distinguishes the Angoulême output from other regional immobilizations of the same prototype.