Normans in Calabria, Roger I (1072-1101 AD), AE trifollaro. Obverse shows the king on horseback, reverse shows Virgin Mary seated with baby Jesus (who has a halo that looks like a space helmet). Here's an old thread that shows a better-preserved example of this coin: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/roger-i-a-norman-in-calabria.275843/ Cool find, I wish I had one of these in my collection!
Thank you, Found it had a special currency. But without the origin, it was just a nice piece of metal. Now, however, determined, gives them a source to history price. That is also one of the reasons why I love antique coins. Once again thank you so much, because this is one of the most beautiful coins that I have from this period. And the first with a Norman histery.
interesting details on that one - especially the double-beaded border. Here's mine: Norman Italy - Calabria Roger I, r. 1072-1101 (1098-1101) Mileto Mint AE Trifollaro, 28.04 mm x 8.3 grams Obv.: ROG [ERVS] COME +S. Roger, mounted left wearing Norman helm, holding kite shield and striped banner Rev.: + MARIA [MATE]R DNI (’N’ retrograde). Enthroned nimbate Virgin Mary holding on lap Christ child, nimbate and in swaddling clothes right Ref.: De Wit 3789 [MEC 14,93]
I voted the first question mark option in the poll, since the second option was ... a question mark. I wonder if I voted for the right question mark? At this point, that's yet another question mark. Since the second question mark has no votes as of this post, we can infer that @Parthicus voted for the first one. And since @Parthicus seems to have nailed the coin attribution, that must mean that the first question mark in the poll must be the correct one. *whew!*
I like the double border of dots, that is an unusual feature for any coin. How many coins include a double border like that?
Thanks - to @Gwod Phrienz who revived this thread, you might have better luck checking in with the US Coins, or maybe the error Coins section. Regarding the trifollaro, I happened to just get a book in the mail today on Southern Norman Coins, and it lists three varieties of these. The OP seems to fit the third variety, but mine fits none of the three listed... not so unusual with medieval coins though, hence why there is no true attempt to catalogue them all (I would maintain a website would be the way to go...)
Unfortunately the book does not provide a description, just three pictures: 131a and c are quite dark and hard to make out from the photos. The best I can tell in differences is some of the locations of letters compared to the designs. You'll note both b and c have the double beaded border like the OP. The obverses of b and c appear to be the same, but lettering on the reverses is different. The 'M' in 'Maria' is thin in b and wide in c - both begin under the child's head. Coin a has a thin 'M' like b, but the 'A' in 'Maria' is partly obscured by the Virgin's feet, but like coin c. On my coin, the 'M' is wide, but begins above the child's head instead of below it. Also, the legend in the obverse follows the roundness of the die, rather than going straight across the banner such as coins b and c (I believe coin a's legend does the same thing as my coin, but it is nearly impossible to tell from the picture in the book). The book is The Normans' coins of the Kingdom of Sicily by D'Andrea and Contreras. It's bilingual (English and Italian), and I suspect I'll be in for some interesting English grammar errors judging by the title... I'll do a review of it at some point (again, just got it yesterday, and I'm in the middle of another book right now)
Thanks! As far as I can tell, my example doesn't really fit comfortably into one of their types either, nor is it like yours. But it's difficult to say with those photos. (Too bad they didn't have Doug to help them!)
Looks good! I finally got to pulling out my book to compare it, and you're right - it doesn't really fit any of the types listed. Granted the differences are so minor, I suspect we are just looking at die variations. Makes me wonder how many different dies there are...