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Obol - Charlemagne Melle mint, monogram
| Issuer | Unified Carolingian Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 793-812 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A bold plain cross with squared terminals occupies the center of the coin, enclosed within a beaded inner circle. The mint name legend METVLLO, identifying the Melle (Metullo) mint in Aquitaine, runs around the outer field, introduced by a cross pattée stop. The lettering is large and angular, set between the beaded circle and the irregular coin edge. The overall design is consistent with the standardized Carolingian reform type introduced under Charlemagne following the monetary reform of 793–794. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The Melle mint, located in what is now Deux-Sèvres in western France, was among the most productive silver-producing centers in Carolingian Europe, drawing on the rich argentiferous galena deposits of the Poitou region. Charlemagne's monetary reform of 793–794 — which standardized the pound of silver into 240 denarii and effectively doubled the weight of the denier — is what defines the bracket of this issue. The obol, struck at half the denier, was the smallest denomination the reform produced.
Melle's output during this period was exceptional by any regional measure, supplying bullion and struck coin across a large portion of the western Frankish territories.