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Obol immobilized in the name of Centule
| Issuer | Béarn, Lordship of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1080-1250 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Orientation | Variable alignment ↺ |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Central field displays a large ornate cross pattée or voided cross within a beaded inner circle, with a prominent letter 'P' visible in the central compartment, characteristic of the PAX type. The outer legend PAX ✠ ONOR FORCAS (Peace; Right to Gallows) encircles the design around the edge of the irregular flan, with letter forms showing typical variation between dies. The reverse composition reflects the feudal prerogatives of the lords of Béarn, combining religious and judicial symbolism in a single compact design. |
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| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | ND (1080-1250) - (fr) PA# 3235 - Le S de la légende (au revers) est debout. - ND (1080-1250) - PA# 3236 - ONOR FORCAഗ - |
| Additional information |
Béarn's monetary autonomy was formalized early — the viscounts had been issuing their own coinage since at least the eleventh century, well before many neighboring lordships secured similar rights. The "immobilized" type in Centule's name persisted across multiple actual rulers, a deliberate archaism that anchored monetary credibility to a recognized dynastic name rather than updating the legend with each succession.
Attribution between PA#3235 and 3236 often turns on subtle die details that survive poorly on this denomination's thin, frequently cracked flans.