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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Medieval & Modern Coins| ▸ |Medieval & Modern Rarities||View Options:   | | | |
Bohemond IV the One-Eyed, was Count of Tripoli from 1187 to 1233, and Prince of Antioch from 1201 to 1216 and from 1219 to 1233. The dying Raymond III of Tripoli offered his county to Bohemond's elder brother, Raymond, but their father Bohemond III of Antioch sent Bohemond to Tripoli in late 1187. Saladin, the Ayyubid sultan of Egypt and Syria, conquered the County in summer 1188, save for the capital and two fortresses. The county was returned in the truce that Bohemond's father made with Saladin in 1192. After his father died Bohemond seized Antioch. He made an alliance with Ayyubid emir of Aleppo and the Seljuq sultan of Rum, who often invaded Cilicia in the following years, preventing Leo I of Cilicia from attacking Antioch. Leo I supported a rebellion in Tripoli, which Bohemond crushed, but he lost an eye fighting. Bohemond confiscated the property of the Hospitallers, for which he was excommunicated by Pope Gregory IX. He tried to secure Cilicia for his younger son, Philip, but Constantine of Baberon, who had administered Cilicia, imprisoned Philip and Philip was murdered the following year. Bohemond's excommunication was lifted shortly before his death when he made an agreement with the Hospitallers.CR111856. Bronze fractional denier, Malloy Crusaders p. 222, 88a, VF, nice green patina, highlighting red earthen deposits, weight 1.011 g, maximum diameter 16.2 mm, die axis 270o, Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) mint, probably first reign, 1201 - 1216; obverse +AIITIOCHE, large B, dotted inner and outer borders; reverse +AIITIOCHIA, cross pattée, dotted inner border; very rare;
Italy, Campobasso, Nicolas I of Montforte, 1422
Robert of Anjou gave Campobasso as a fief to Richard de Montfort in 1326, to reward him for his loyalty. Nicolas I de Montfort was his descendant. Campobasso is the capital of the Molise region and of the province of Campobassoa in southern Italy; located in the high basin of the Biferno river, surrounded by the Sannio and Matese mountains. The main tourist attraction is the Castello Monforte, built by Nicolas II over Lombard or Norman ruins. The castle has Guelph merlons and stands on a commanding point, where traces of ancient settlements (including Samnite walls) have been found. The castle was rebuilt after the earthquakes in 1456 and 1805.ME98087. Billon tornese, Biaggi 538 (R5); CNI XVIII p. 234, 10; cf. MIR 10 369 (stops, Nicolas II), MEC Italy III 938 (same), VF, well centered, light corrosion, light deposits, tiny edge crack, weight 0.673 g, maximum diameter 16.7 mm, die axis 180o, Campobasso mint, 1422; obverse * NICOLOA CONI * (closed C's and unbarred A, rosette stops), Châtel tournois topped with a cross; reverse + • CAmPIbASSI • (closed C and unbarred A's, pellet stops), cross pattée; ex Nomisma SpA (San Marino) auction 31 (Mar 2006), lot 325; very rare;
Crusaders, Principality of Antioch, Bohemond IV, 1201 - 1233
Bohemond IV the One-Eyed, was Count of Tripoli from 1187 to 1233, and Prince of Antioch from 1201 to 1216 and from 1219 to 1233. The dying Raymond III of Tripoli offered his county to Bohemond's elder brother, Raymond, but their father Bohemond III of Antioch sent Bohemond to Tripoli in late 1187. Saladin, the Ayyubid sultan of Egypt and Syria, conquered the County in summer 1188, save for the capital and two fortresses. The county was returned in the truce that Bohemond's father made with Saladin in 1192. After his father died Bohemond seized Antioch. He made an alliance with Ayyubid emir of Aleppo and the Seljuq sultan of Rum, who often invaded Cilicia in the following years, preventing Leo I of Cilicia from attacking Antioch. Leo I supported a rebellion in Tripoli, which Bohemond crushed, but he lost an eye fighting. Bohemond confiscated the property of the Hospitallers, for which he was excommunicated by Pope Gregory IX. He tried to secure Cilicia for his younger son, Philip, but Constantine of Baberon, who had administered Cilicia, imprisoned Philip and Philip was murdered the following year. Bohemond's excommunication was lifted shortly before his death when he made an agreement with the Hospitallers.CR112304. Bronze fractional denier, Malloy Crusaders p. 222, 88b (described as obv. legend retrograde., VF, earthen encrustations, scratches, weight 0.948 g, maximum diameter 16.6 mm, Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) mint, probably first reign, 1201 - 1216; obverse +AIITIOCHE, large reversed B, dotted inner and outer borders; reverse +AIITIOCHIA, cross pattée, dotted inner border; very rare;
Kingdom of Sicily, Maria of Sicily, 27 July 1377 – 25 May 1401
Maria was the only child of Frederick the Simple and was only 16 when, under the terms of his will, she succeeded him on his death. On 23 January 1380 she was kidnapped and carried off by the count Augusta, who hoped to marry her to the Visconti of Milan. In 1382, Maria was rescued by an Aragonese fleet; she was taken first to Sardinia, then, in 1384, to Aragon, where in 1390 she was married to Martin the Younger, the grandson of Peter IV. In 1392, Maria and Martin returned to Sicily with a military force and defeated barons who had taken control. They ruling jointly until Maria's death in 1401. At that time, Martin repudiated the Treaty of Villeneuve and ruled Sicily alone.ME112817. Billon denaro, Biaggi 591 (R4), MEC Italy III 806 - 808 var. (Frederick the simple, different controls), MIR Sicilia -, aF/aVF, irregular flan with many edge splits, weight 0.779 g, maximum diameter 14.5 mm, Catania mint, sole reign, 1st coinage, 1377 - 1380; obverse + REGINA SICILIE, lozenge-shaped shield with arms of Aragon, four pellets around, within inner border; reverse GRA REX SICIL, elephant with upturned trunk (the symbol of Catania) standing left, cross pattée above, G - P (mint master's initials) in the 3rd and 4th quarter; Coin Archives records only two specimens of the type at auction in the last two decades; extremely rare;
Sicily (or Sardina?), c. 13 Century A.D.
This coin was part of a group of denari of the Kingdom of Sicily, mostly from the 13th century but some later. Although this coin is apparently unpublished and the attribution is uncertain, it is almost certainly from the same time and place as the rest of the coins. The MI on the coin appears to indicate the denomination. The denaro piccolo or picciolo (plural: denari piccoli), is also known as minutus or minuto (plural: minuti).ME95044. Billon denaro piccolo (minuto), apparently unpublished; attribution is uncertain but we believe most probable; Biaggi -, MEC 14 Italy III -, MIR 10 -, MIR Sicily -, Travaini -, F, dark green patina, small squared flan typical of the area/era, uneven strike, weight 0.348 g, maximum diameter 13.3 mm, uncertain Sicilian or Sardinian mint, c. 13th Century A.D.; obverse mI (for minuto?), legend obscure, mostly off flan; reverse cross pattée, legend obscure, mostly off flan; the only specimen of the type known to FORVM; extremely rare;
France, Charles VII The Victorious, 1422 - 1461
Charles VII was born in 1403 as the eleventh child and fifth son of Charles VI of France and Isabeau of Bavaria. He was given the title of comte de Ponthieu at his birth. His four elder brothers all died childless, leaving Charles with a rich inheritance of titles. Due to the Treaty of Troyes, in which Charles VI signed for King Henry V of England as his legitimate successor to the throne of France, a new conflict with England was created. The succession was claimed both by the King of England and by the disinherited younger Charles.WO111003. Billon plaque (double gros), Duplessy 480, Ciani 657, Lafaurie 480, Roberts 2906, F, clashed dies, weight 2.966 g, maximum diameter 29.8 mm, die axis 135o, Tournai (Belgium) mint, 10 Dec 1427-7 Jan 1429; obverse (crown) KAROLVS•DEI•GRA•FRANCORV•REX (Charles, by the grace of God, King of the Franks), three lis, two above, one below center; reverse + SIT:NO-ME:NOM-INI:BEN-EDICTV (Blessed be the name of the Lord, dotted C), long cross pattée with F-R-A-C' in quarters; ex Gordon Andreas Singer; rare;
Crusaders, Principality of Antioch, Late Anonymous, 1250 - 1268
From the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer for 40 years and co-author of Coins of the Crusader States. See Malloy Crusaders p. 197 for a discussion of the late anonymous series.
Old tag notes, "The Hague, Holland Viken Havandjian, Jan. 22, 1976, $65.00"
Ex John J. Slocum Collection. Mr. Slocum was in the American diplomatic service in the Holy Land where he collected rare and unique coins in the early 1960's.
Antioch existed for over 1500 years, it was one of the three most important cities in the ancient world, and in the 1st century had a population of 500,000 (not counting women and slaves). On 18 May 1268, Antioch surrendered to Baibars on the condition that the lives of the citizens would be spared. As soon as his troops were within the gates, Baibars ordered the gates shut and brutally massacred everyone in the city. Lamenting that Antioch's ruler had not been present either for the siege or the ransacking and murder, Baibars wrote a detailed letter describing exactly what had been done, concluding with the phrase, "Had you been there, you would have wished you had never been born."
FORVM has three examples of this type (one a variant without the T) from the Malloy Collection. No other examples are known and the type is otherwise unknown to modern numismatics. Historically of great importance, these coins were minted in the last throngs of the city of Antioch as it was dying.
SH32267. Bronze pougeoise, unpublished and historically important, the finest of three known to exist, Malloy Crusaders -, Metcalf Crusades -, aVF, octagonal shaped flan, weight 0.646 g, maximum diameter 17.5 mm, die axis 225o, Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) mint, obverse hexagram, ANT (Antioch) monogram in center (T is small and above H); reverse hexagram, ΠP monogram in center (uncertain meaning, perhaps the moneyers name or the ruling Crusaders at this time but interestingly in Greek not Latin); of great rarity; SOLD
Crusaders, Principality of Antioch, Late Anonymous, 1250 - 1268
From the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer for 40 years and co-author of Coins of the Crusader States. See Malloy Crusaders p. 197 for a discussion of the late anonymous series.
Ex John J. Slocum Collection. Mr. Slocum was in the American diplomatic service in the Holy Land where he collected rare and unique coins in the early 1960's.
Antioch existed for over 1500 years, was one of the three most important cities in the ancient world, and in the 1st century had a population of about 500,000 (not counting women and slaves). On 18 May 1268, Antioch surrendered to Baibars on the condition that the lives of the citizens would be spared. As soon as his troops were within the gates, Baibars ordered the gates shut and brutally massacred everyone in the city. Afterward, lamenting that Antioch's ruler had not been present either for the siege or the ransacking and murder, Baibars wrote a detailed letter describing exactly what had been done, concluding the letter with the phrase, "Had you been there, you would have wished you had never been born."
FORVM has three examples of this type (one a variant without the T) from the Malloy Collection. No other examples are known and the type is otherwise unknown to modern numismatics. Historically of great importance, these coins were minted in the last throngs of the city of Antioch as it was dying.
SH32083. Bronze pougeoise, unpublished and important, one of three known, Malloy Crusaders -, Metcalf Crusades -, VF, weight 0.672 g, maximum diameter 15.2 mm, die axis 270o, obverse hexagram, ANT (Antioch) monogram in center (T is small and above H); reverse hexagram, ΠP monogram in center (uncertain meaning, perhaps the moneyers name or the ruling Crusaders at this time but interestingly in Greek not Latin); of great rarity; SOLD
Non-Imperial Coinages in Africa, "Domino Nostro," c. 5th Century A.D.
This type has been attributed to the time of Johannes and Boniface in Carthage 423 - 425 A.D., but strong evidence is lacking. We may more safely assume the series is later and copying official issues. The star is probably a crude Christogram or degenerated cross.ME26375. Bronze half centenionalis, RIC X 3815 (R3), LRBC II -, F, weight 0.511 g, maximum diameter 19.5 mm, Carthage (near Tunis, Tunisia) mint, obverse DOMINIS NOSTRIS, diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right; reverse star in wreath; very rare; SOLD
Bulgaria, Second Empire, Early 14th Century A.D.
The Second Bulgarian Empire, 1185 - 1396, reached its peak under Tsars Kaloyan and Ivan Asen II and was the dominant power in the Balkans until 1256. Bulgaria defeated the Byzantine Empire in several major battles. In 1205, Kaloyan defeated the newly established Latin Empire in the Battle of Adrianople. Ivan Asen II defeated the Despotate of Epiros and made Bulgaria a regional power. Bulgaria spread from the Adriatic to the Black Sea and the economy flourished. Tarnovo, the capitol, was considered a "New Constantinople" and became the cultural hub and the center of the Eastern Orthodox world. In the late 13th century, however, the Empire declined under constant invasions by Mongols, Byzantines, Hungarians, and Serbs, as well as internal unrest and revolts. The 14th century saw a temporary recovery and stability, the "Second Golden Age of Bulgarian culture," when literature and art flourished. This was also, however, a period of Balkan feudalism as central authorities gradually lost power in many regions. Bulgaria was divided into three parts before gradually being conquered by the Ottomans in the late 14th and early 15th centuries.ME85965. Silver gros, Imitative of a Venetian grosso of Giovanni Dandolo (1280-1289); Radushev-Zhekov Type 1.17.1, Youroukova-Penchev 160, Dochev -, gVF, well centered, weight 1.232 g, maximum diameter 19.9 mm, die axis 0o, uncertain mint, early 14th century A.D.; obverse nimbate Christ Pantokrator enthroned facing, holding gospels in lap, IC - XC (Greek abbreviation: IΗΣOúΣ XPIΣTOΣ - Jesus Christ) flanking Christ's head; reverse Doge, standing on left, receiving tall flag from St. Mark, standing on right, DVX down flag staff; very rare; SOLD
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