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Follis - Baldwin II -2nd reign
| Issuer | County of Edessa |
|---|---|
| Year | 1108-1118 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Follis (1) |
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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 | The reverse bears a bilingual inscription arranged within the flat, rough field of the coin, characteristic of the Crusader states' practice of incorporating both Latin and Greek lettering to address a mixed population. The letters B, A, Δ, N are disposed in the four quarters of the field, representing a contracted form of the ruler's name 'BALDWIN' in a mixed Latin/Greek epigraphic tradition. The flan is irregular and the strike is typical of hammered Crusader issues, with weak areas and uneven surfaces. No border or additional decorative elements are present, the design consisting solely of the abbreviated legend. |
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| Additional information |
Baldwin II ruled Edessa twice — first from 1100, then again after his ransoming from Artuqid captivity in 1108, which marks the opening of this issue's production window. He had spent years as a prisoner, captured at the Battle of Harran in 1104, a catastrophic Crusader defeat that also took down Bohemond of Antioch and effectively ended any near-term ambition to push the frontier east of the Euphrates. The ransom negotiations dragged on for years and required tribute from across the remaining Crusader territories.
Edessene bronzes of this period circulated in a landlocked county perpetually short of silver, making small bronze the workhorse of local commerce.