....no, not THAT one,,,, the other Richard I. I am not a specialist in medieval coins or a student of the history beyond the end of the Western Roman Empire but I am a child of the era when boys idolized Robin Hood who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. Robin Hood was a big supporter of Richard I (the Lionhearted) so I wanted a coin of Richard. Those tended to be either ugly or out of my price bracket so I never had one in my younger days. One day I saw a coin of Richard I that was neither ugly (as medieval coins go) so I bought it based on the dealer ID. With a little research I discovered it was a coin of Richard I but not THAT Richard I. Instead it was: Richard I, the Fearless, Duke of Normandy, 943-996 AD, AR demier, Rouen mint Not having a supporter like Robin Hood made this Richard a great deal less in demand. While he is credited with much of the development of the feudal system in Europe, perhaps Richard is best known as grandfather of three British kings including William the Conqueror. Medieval coins with no portraits issued by people of less than first tier fame can be reasonable even in presentable shape. This is about as simple a can be. The obverse is RICARDVS I around a cross. The reverse is the mint name ROTOMAGVS around what is termed a temple façade (I'll have to take their word for that). I would like to ask how we are to compare the relative merits of being 'Lionhearted', 'Fearless' and 'Conqueror' but Richard of Normandy was also grandfather of Aethelred II 'the Unready' so I guess things balance out in the end. In the interest of equal time requirements below is a penny of the famous Richard I 'the Lionhearted' that does bear his portrait. I doubt I would recognize him on the street based solely on this coin. It helps none at all that Richard's English pennies all bear the name of his father Henry. Richard I 'the Lionhearted' of England, AR penny, Canterbury mint (ROPERD ON CANT) 1189-1199 AD Post your coins of Richard (any one) especially if you have the Lionherted continental issues which lack portraits but do have Richard's name. I do not have one of these.
Well, I've got the villain of the Robin Hood tales- the "bad" brother, John (whose coinage also bore the HENRICVS name of their father, Henry II.) England: silver penny of King John, ca. 1213-1215, from the Gisors hoard found in Normandy Obverse: Crowned head of King John facing, scepter to left. Obverse legend reads "HENRICVS", as John's coinage was struck bearing the name of his father, Henry II. Reverse: Voided short cross; quatrefoils in angles. Issuer: John Lackland, King of England (1199-1216). Specifications: Silver penny, 17 mm, 1.22 g. London mint. Struck ca. 1213-1215. Moneyer: Walter on Lunde. Grade: PCGS XF45, cert. #35075112. Reference: PCGS-895746, North-975/1, SCBC-1354.* Provenance: Classical Numismatic Group eAuction 413, Lot 722, 1/31/2018.* Purchased raw.
Yes Richard the Lionheart's English coins aren't cheap for what you get, although the one I have (or should I say the half I have) was $20 and has about as much of his face as you get on many of his whole pennies: Richard I the Lionheart Cut Halfpenny, 1189-1199 London. Silver, Class 4b. + hENRICVS REX. Short cross, +FVLKE ON LVN (S 1348C). The mint is not on the coin, but the only moneyer named Fulke was at London. I don't have a continental Richard coin. The only other Richard I have is Richard II, whose nickname was the less inspiring Richard of Bordeaux, but who Shakespeare portrayed even less flatteringly. At least he had his name on his coins. Richard II Halfpenny, 1377-1399 London. Silver, 0.47g. Early bust, intermediate, Lombardic Ns. +RICARD REX ANGL. Long cross, CIVITAS LONDON (S 1699).
I have a continental Lionheart, with clear name, as requested (Poitou mint): and a Fearless too: I'm very fond of both. Your Fearless is particularly lovely though. Looks like it may still have some lustre!
Fun write up and coins, Doug! Is this why you are so adamant about always checking our own sources? No Richard I... but you did say, any Richard. My source here is my dad and I believe he is correct: Richard III 1483-1485 CE, Silver Groat, type III, London mint, crowned facing bust, within tressure of nine arcs, large fleur on six cusps, initial sun and rose 3 both sides, rev long cross pattée, tri-pellets in each inner angle, twin concentric legends and beaded circles surrounding, 2.71g (N 1679; S 2157).
A fun post & coins, @dougsmit, and I have no coins of Richard Lionhearted or any other Richards. However, I can add this coin which is from the right time period and does (eventually) make a connection to Richard I the Lionhearted and King Arthur's mythical sword, Excalibur. Tancred (King of Sicily reigned 1189-1194) Æ Follaro Obv: +ROGERIVS:; in center, REX; dots above and below Rev: Arabic (Kufic) legend on two lines - المالك تنقرير (al-malik Tanqrir; the King, Tancred) Tancred has quite a story as the bastard son of Roger the III. Short, ugly and mocked by his critics as the "Monkey King", a small but fierce soldier he was called "Tancredulus", battles for the throne in Sicily, exile to Constantinople, sailing a fleet to Alexandria, Egypt, only to retreat quickly, a coup to become king of Sicily, a reign of 5 years that included battles with Richard the I of England and Philip the II of France which led to a treaty at Messina and a gift of friendship in AD 1191 of the sword Excalibur (purported to be King Arthur's) from Richard I (The Lionheart). The sword was apparently discovered with the tomb of Arthur and Guenevier in 1191 in Glastonbury Abbey (or perhaps this was just a publicity stunt to raise money to rebuild the Abbey which had suffered a serious fire in 1884). Despite the battles, Richard and Tancred seem to have become fast friends. "On the other hand the king of England gave Tancred that best of swords which the Britons call Caliburne (or Excalibur, as it is called in the "Idylls of the King"), formerly the sword of Arthur, once the noble king of England. Moreover king Tancred gave the king of England four great ships that they call ursers and fifteen galleys; and when the king of England was departing he brought him on his way as far as Taormina, two stages from Catania." - The Crusades of Richard I: 1189-92, Thomas Andrew Archer, 1912, p.48 And a quick conclusion to Tancred's story: more battles with his Aunt Constance and her husband Emperor Henry the VI for the throne, more battles in Apulia, and ultimately his death in Palermo in 1194 at the age of 56. The fate of the sword, unknown (at least to me). Ref: Two Treaties of Messina 1190–1191: Crusading Diplomacy of Richard I
A fine Richard the Fearless - but I believe he is father-in-law of Æthelred (I’m too lazy to look it up now, so am relying on memory): Feudal France - Normandy Richard I, r. 943-996 AR Denier, 21.1 mm x 1.3 grams Obv.: +RICARDVS I. Cross pattee with pellets in angles Rev.: ROTOMAGVS. Stylized chapel made from St. Andrew’s cross, with a pellet in the pediment Ref.: Dumas XV-11, Duplessy 16 He has another more enigmatic issue - I’m not sure I but the ‘Lothaire monogram’ argument, since it is based off a 19th century drawing of a Lothaire coin. I haven’t seen the actual coin myself (but to be fair, I haven’t looked hard either): Feudal France - Normandy Richard I, r. 943-996 AR Denier, 20.53 mm x 1.2 grams Obv.: +RICARDVS. Cross pattee with pellets in angles Rev.: +ROTOMAGVS. Lothaire monogram Ref.: Dumas XV-23, Duplessy 18 for the Richard the Lionheart, the bust portrait is really just a continuation of his father’s coinage as an immobilized type, and is probably not an actual likeness. His father Henry II: England Henry II, r. 1154-1189 (1180-1189) London Mint, AR Class 1b Short Cross Penny, 20.12mm x 1.33 grams Obv.: hЄNRICVS●R ЄX, bust facing with two curls left and five right, crowned with 5 pearls in crown, with sceptre Rev.: +RAVL●ON●LVNDЄ, Short cross voided with quatrefoil in each angle Ref.: North 963, SCBC 1344, De Wit 3192 Richard I: England Richard I, r. 1189-1199 A.D. London Mint, AR Class 4a Short Cross Penny, 20.06mm x 1.8 grams Obv.: [hEN]RICVS R[EX]. Bust facing seven pearled crown with sceptre Rev.: +[RIC]ARD . ON . LVN. Short cross voided with quatrefoil in each angle Ref.: North 968/1, SCBC 1347, CC99 R11D-010, De Witt 3193 Of the 10 years Richard was king of England, he only spent about 6 months actually in the country, which might account for the immobilized type - the kingdom was more his piggy bank to fund his crusading efforts. Richard always viewed Aquitaine as more of his homeland, hence why those issues contain his name. While the deniers of Aquitaine are fairly easy to come by, I haven’t yet snagged one. I did recently get an obol though: French Feudal - Aquitaine Richard I, r. 1168-1185 Bordeaux Mint, BL Obole, 14.20 mm x 0.40 grams Obv.: + / RICA / RDVS / ω, in four lines Rev.: +AQVITANIE, cross pattée Ref.: AGC 6 (1/a), Duplessy 1034, SCBC 8005, De Wit 400 his issues from Poitou are also easily found: French Feudal - Poitou Richard I, r. 1168-1185 AR Denier, 17mm x 1 grams Obv.: +RICARDUS REX, cross patée, annulet in third quarter Rev.: PIC / TAVIE / NSIS, written in three parallel lines Ref.: AGC 343A (1/a), Duplessy 926, Roberts 3887, SCBC 8008, De Wit 394 Note: My First Medieval Coin He also issued coins from Issoudon (sp?) which are incredibly rare - most are found in museums (I think I once read that only 8 are in existence, or only 8 are found outside museums - can’t remember which). He supposedly issued a coin in Cyprus during the crusades which are pricey, but seem to be obtainable lately. His name is not in these coins, so I am not sure what the argument is for why he was the issuing authority. Those are all the Richards I have to share!
Nice coin of the Magna Carta guy @lordmarcovan - some really great coins in this thread, Sorry to say I have no medieval coins except for a grosso of Bohemund of Tripolis like this one which turned out to be a fake.
Some coins of Richard's: Richard I "the Fearless" duke of Normandy Richard I "the Lion-Heart" of England, in the name of Henry II Richard I "the Lion-Heart" of England, as count of Poitou Richard II of England Richard II of England, as duke of Aquitaine Richard III of England
That frowny-face is priceless. Great coin! Halfpenny? Perhaps when he modeled for that portrait, he was foreseeing his downfall and death at the Battle of Bosworth and how his tomb would subsequently end up beneath a 20th century parking lot (sorry, Brits- I mean a car park). Then again, I don't suppose he'd have been able to imagine what a future car park would be.
I bet he’d trade his kingdom for a car. It’s a penny, small flan, probably as made rather than clipped. Durham under Bishop Sherwood. S on the obverse for Sherwood, not for Superman.
