Ancient-Jewellery

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Viking Danegeld Silver Denier of Louis the Pious

SOLD

Code: 10803



This is a nice Carolingian silver Denier of Louis the Pious, minted between 822 - 840 A.D.

Obverse: + HLVDOVVICVS IMP  Cross cantoned with four bezants.

Reverse: XPISTIANA RELIGIO. Tetrastyle temple with a triangular pediment summed by a cross, a cross in the center.

The first payment of the Danegeld to the Vikings in West Francia took place in 845 when, under Ragnar Lothbrok, they tried to attack Paris. The Viking army was bought off from destroying the city by a massive payment of nearly six tons of silver and gold bullion. At the time of Ragnar's famous raid, this coin would have (at the very latest) spent 5 years in circulation, thus displays very little wear. Most of the coins from the Danegeld were melted into bars, ingots, silver bracelets and chopped as hack-silver for use in a bullion economy. 

This is an excellent example of a Carolingian denier, in good excavated condition.

DENOMINATION: Denier

CULTURE: Carolingian

DATE: 822 - 840 A.D.

MATERIAL: Silver

SIZE: 20.5mm diameter

WEIGHT: 1.59 grams

ATTRIBUTION: Prou.1016 var. (23/1016 var.) - MG.472 - MEC.1 / 794 - N.5

PROVENANCE: Ex. European Private Collection (this is not a British find!)