Coins of Medieval Europe

The currency of Lucca was highly valued in Europe as a means of exchange and trade. The Crusaders also relied on Lucca’s coins to pay for whatever services they required such as equipment, food, transport, soldiers etc. It was a truly international currency such as the Euro today. Trading with the whole of Europe through the centuries allowed the merchants of Lucca to gather considerable wealth and, in turn, they became money lenders and bankers with some of the most powerful families in Europe originating from Lucca. These coins were struck under Enrico (Henry) III, IV and V between 1039-1125 so are around 800-1000 years old and from a once extremely powerful currency.

Lucca Silver Denar of Enrico III /IV Fine-Very Fine.

Robert of Anjou, known as Robert the Wise, was King of Naples from 1309-1343 and was a central figure of Italian politics at the time. He was born around 1276, the third son of King Charles II of Naples and Mary of Hungary. After the death of his elder brother, Charles Martel of Anjou in 1295, Robert, became heir to the crown of Naples. These silver coins issued in his name between 1309-1317 are known as Gigliato because of the lilies (Giglio in Italian) depicted on the reverse entwined around a cross. It was a coin of .929 fine silver weighing 4 grams and was first introduced by Charles II in 1303. It became the dominant silver coin of its time and was very similar to the French Gros and the English Groat in size and weight. The obverse shows Robert enthroned facing holding a sceptre and cruciger with the legend +ROBЄRT DЄI GRA IЄRL ЄT SICIL RЄX around. Available in two grades to suit your budget but a fantastic coin now over 700 years old and well preserved. Limited availability

These Polish silver coins were struck about the time Columbus set out to discover America. The Polish King was called John I Albert and the denomination is 1/2 Groschen. They were minted in Krakow, Poland. They have an eagle within a circle on one side with the legend ‘Moneta 1 Alberti’. The other side has a crown within a circle with the legend ‘Regis Polonie’. They are about 500 years old and in Very Fine condition. We only have 32 examples, so if you want one, please get in quickly…

Ghiyath al-Din Kaykhusraw II was the sultan of the Seljuqs of Rûm from 1237 until his death in 1246. He ruled at the time of the Babai uprising and the Mongol invasion of Anatolia. He led the Seljuq army with its Christian allies at the Battle of Köse Dağ in 1243 and was the last of the Seljuq sultans to wield any significant power, he died a vassal of the Mongols. Between ca. 1240–1243 a series of remarkable silver dirhams were struck in Kaykhusraw’s name depicting a lion and sun. Generally, Islamic traditions forbid representations of living things so it is very unusual to find such iconography on Islamic coins. Several explanations of the lion and sun have been offered to suggest that the images represent the constellation Leo, the astrological sign of Kaykhusraw’s beloved Georgian wife Tamar or that the lion represents Kaykhusraw and the sun Tamar. Grading Good Very Fine, these are beautiful silver coins struck around 780 years ago. Limited availability and the first time we have offered these coins.