Leu Numismatik AG
Auction 7 24-25 Oct 2020
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CAROLINGIANS. Hughes de Provence, King of Italy, 926-947. Denaro (Silver, 22 mm, 1.35 g, 1 h), Venice. +XVCHO PIVS IMP Cross in circle with pellets in angles. Rev. XPISTIΛNΛ R[I]CIO Church building/temple with cross inside. Grierson/Blackburn -. L. Gianazza and A. van Herwijnen: Un Denaro Inedito a Nome di Ugo di Arles "Imperatore", in: RIN 117 (2016), pp. 55-70, p. 58, fig. 1 (this coin). Of the highest rarity, the second and finest known example, and of great historical interest. Minor deposits, otherwise, very fine.
Hughes de Provence was a son of Theotbald from Arles and Bertha and as such a direct descendant of Charlemagne. He became King of Italy in 926, and although he never received the imperial crown from the pope, some of his coins from Mediolanum do bear the title IMP(erator). The emergence of the present coin extends this issue to the mint of Venice: it is the second known example after the poorly preserved and misread example Aspres-lès-Corps piece (L. Gianazza and A. van Herwijnen: Un Denaro Inedito a Nome di Ugo di Arles "Imperatore", in: RIN 117 (2016), p. 58, fig. 2), attesting that Hughes manifested his claim to the imperial crown also on coins struck in Venice.
Hughes de Provence was a son of Theotbald from Arles and Bertha and as such a direct descendant of Charlemagne. He became King of Italy in 926, and although he never received the imperial crown from the pope, some of his coins from Mediolanum do bear the title IMP(erator). The emergence of the present coin extends this issue to the mint of Venice: it is the second known example after the poorly preserved and misread example Aspres-lès-Corps piece (L. Gianazza and A. van Herwijnen: Un Denaro Inedito a Nome di Ugo di Arles "Imperatore", in: RIN 117 (2016), p. 58, fig. 2), attesting that Hughes manifested his claim to the imperial crown also on coins struck in Venice.