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Dinar 'Mancuso' Ramon Berenguer I, Eneas
| Issuer | County of Barcelona |
|---|---|
| Year | 1035-1067 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Dinar (60) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Crude imitation of an Andalusian or North African gold dinar, featuring multiple horizontal lines of pseudo-Arabic script arranged within a central circular field. The lettering, while modeled on genuine Kufic or Naskh inscriptions, is entirely illegible and degenerate, rendered by a die-cutter unfamiliar with Arabic. A plain inner circle frames the inscription area, with a similarly imitative marginal legend visible around the periphery. The flan is irregular and slightly wavy at the edges, characteristic of hammered production. The overall style reflects the 'mancuso' tradition of Christian Iberian imitations struck to facilitate trade with Islamic regions. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The "mancuso" terminology derives from the Arabic manqush — "engraved" — reflecting that these coins were struck in direct imitation of Fatimid gold dinars then circulating widely across Iberia via al-Andalus trade routes. Ramon Berenguer I had no mint tradition capable of producing gold; Barcelona's output was a deliberate commercial counterfeit in the most literal sense, intended to pass alongside genuine Islamic issues in Mediterranean exchange.
The ".979" fineness is not accidental — it closely matches contemporary Fatimid standards, a calculated choice to maintain credibility in cross-border transactions.