oh neat, i don't think there have been many (if any) western european medieval gold coins posted here. nice and heavy for such a little coin!
I will try my best to remedy that problem! Those AV Tari coins are real tough to get in good quality.
I don't know anything about these coins (or most of the late Roman/Byzantine/medieval coins you post) but it looks interesting. Can you tell us more about the coin? About the issuing entity? Related history? Why you were moved to acquire this particular example?
OK, good point. The Island of Sicily was under control of the Fatimids (Islamic Rulers of Egpyt) until it fell to the Normans, under Roger II 1105-54. Around 1194, this territory came under the control of the German ruler, Henry VI of Hohenstaufen. Konrad I of Hohenstaufen ruled the Island from 1250-58AD. He had succeeded Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen 1198-1250, who died in the Third Crusade from a drowning accident.
This is one of my favorite periods, when Norman barons who had just conquered Sicily, had to cope with a mixed Islamic-Christian population. So they issued coins that had to be acceptable for Christians and Muslims alike.
