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Dinheiro 'Double crosier' - Afonso I
| Issuer | Portugal |
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| Year | 1139-1185 |
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| Currency | Libra (1st Dynasty, 1128-1383) |
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| Obverse description | Central field dominated by a double crosier motif — possibly interpreted as a tree of life — surmounted by a cross pattée (Cristo Cross), with a crescent positioned at each lateral side of the central device. The composition is enclosed within a beaded inner circle, beyond which a partial Latin legend appears in the outer margin. The design is characteristic of early Romanesque ecclesiastical symbolism common to Portuguese coinage of the first dynasty, struck by hand with irregular flan shaping. |
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| Reverse description | Central cross pattée (Cristo Cross) divides the field into four quadrants, each containing a crescent and a pellet (dot) ornament at the angles. The cross arms extend toward a beaded inner circle that separates the central device from the surrounding Latin legend in the outer margin. The style reflects the Romanesque ecclesiastical aesthetic typical of Afonso I's monetary production, with bold but irregularly struck relief due to the hammered technique. |
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| Additional information |
Afonso Henriques struck these coins following his victory at Ourique in 1139, the battle after which he declared himself the first King of Portugal and broke from Leonese suzerainty. The double crosier design reflects the extraordinary political leverage held by the Church in legitimizing that declaration — episcopal support was not incidental to Afonso's kingship; it was structurally necessary for it.
The billon content is low enough that many surviving examples have lost most surface silver, leaving a copper-dominant appearance that misleads casual attributions.