Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XX 29-30 Oct 2020
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France, Kingdom. Philippe IV le Bel (the Fair, 1285-1314) AV Denier d'or à masse. Paris mint, first emission, struck from 10 January 1296. ⧾ PҺILIPPVS ⁝ DЄI ⁝ GRA ⁝ FRANCҺORVM ⁝ REX, Philippe enthroned facing on lion head throne, holding lis-tipped sceptre in right hand and lis in left; all within tressure of nine arches, each arch ending in lis; annulets in spandrels / ⧾ XP'C ⁝ VINCIT ⁝ XP'C ⁝ RЄGNAT ⁝ XP'C ⁝ IᙏPЄRAT, cross feuillue and fleuronnée, quatrefoil within quadrilobe at centre, lis in quarters; all within angled quadrilobe, angles ending in trefoils. Grierson, Coins of Medieval Europe, p. 115 and C15; Duplessy 208; Ciani 196; Lafaurie 212; Friedberg 254. 7.03g, 31.5mm, 11h.
Good Extremely Fine. Rare; exceptional condition for the issue and struck on a very broad planchet.
From the Long Valley River Collection;
Ex Richard A. Jourdan Collection of Medieval European Coins;
Ex Jean Vinchon Numismatique, 30 May 2017, lot 2 (hammer: EUR 30,000).
Philippe the Fair was only the second French Emperor to introduce gold denominations into the monetary system en mass, the first being his grandfather Louis IX. Given the multiple fronts on which France was at war during his reign the motivation for a new gold issue is not hard to discern. In 1294 a territorial war began with England, which would continue for 10 years, putting a huge strain on the French purse. Philippe was also fighting against the Roman Papacy during this period, a legacy from previous European rulers (see note on lot 979), as well as smaller battles with neighbours all intended to expand his territory. The economic situation brought about by these many costly operations is reflected in the coinage of his reign. This d'or à masse was sometimes referred to as a 'hard Royal' due to the copper alloy that was added to the coin to bring it up to weight. The denomination was supposed to be a double florin and therefore had to be double in weight to a florin or a petite Royal assis; however the treasuries of the kingdom did not have the requisite bullion to create such a coin in pure gold for the scale of mass distribution required and therefore the coin was debased with copper and was only 22 karats as opposed to 24.
One of the many ways in which Philippe acquired the necessary monies to fund his campaigns was to borrow from the Knights Templar. Originally a Catholic military order, the group had evolved to also offer an early form of international banking service during this period and Philippe became deeply in debt to the organisation. Leveraging the popular distrust felt for the Templars due to their mysterious and secretive initiation ceremonies, and using this as an excuse, Philippe engineered the destruction of the Knights Templar as a way of freeing himself from his debts. At dawn on Friday 13 October 1307 (a date often considered to be the origin of the superstition pertaining to Friday 13th being 'unlucky for some') the king arrested, tortured and burned at the stake many members of the order and drove the remaining Templars out of France.
Good Extremely Fine. Rare; exceptional condition for the issue and struck on a very broad planchet.
From the Long Valley River Collection;
Ex Richard A. Jourdan Collection of Medieval European Coins;
Ex Jean Vinchon Numismatique, 30 May 2017, lot 2 (hammer: EUR 30,000).
Philippe the Fair was only the second French Emperor to introduce gold denominations into the monetary system en mass, the first being his grandfather Louis IX. Given the multiple fronts on which France was at war during his reign the motivation for a new gold issue is not hard to discern. In 1294 a territorial war began with England, which would continue for 10 years, putting a huge strain on the French purse. Philippe was also fighting against the Roman Papacy during this period, a legacy from previous European rulers (see note on lot 979), as well as smaller battles with neighbours all intended to expand his territory. The economic situation brought about by these many costly operations is reflected in the coinage of his reign. This d'or à masse was sometimes referred to as a 'hard Royal' due to the copper alloy that was added to the coin to bring it up to weight. The denomination was supposed to be a double florin and therefore had to be double in weight to a florin or a petite Royal assis; however the treasuries of the kingdom did not have the requisite bullion to create such a coin in pure gold for the scale of mass distribution required and therefore the coin was debased with copper and was only 22 karats as opposed to 24.
One of the many ways in which Philippe acquired the necessary monies to fund his campaigns was to borrow from the Knights Templar. Originally a Catholic military order, the group had evolved to also offer an early form of international banking service during this period and Philippe became deeply in debt to the organisation. Leveraging the popular distrust felt for the Templars due to their mysterious and secretive initiation ceremonies, and using this as an excuse, Philippe engineered the destruction of the Knights Templar as a way of freeing himself from his debts. At dawn on Friday 13 October 1307 (a date often considered to be the origin of the superstition pertaining to Friday 13th being 'unlucky for some') the king arrested, tortured and burned at the stake many members of the order and drove the remaining Templars out of France.