Got this over the last couple of days. Heinrich III as 'King of the Romans' (crowned heir of the German empire), 1028-1039. Denar of Duisburg. Obv. Heinrich facing, [holding] sceptre to the left. (...It's 11th-century European! Suspend your disbelief!) +HEINRICVS REX Rev. Long voided cross, emulating pennies of AEthelred II. DV [/] IS [/] BV [/] RG (Dannenberg 316.) I like how, this late, there are still all these peck marks, evoking lively trade with Scandinavians. --At least culturally, if not (even) ethnically so. With particular reference to the southeastern Baltic coast, which had something to do with this example's immediate provenance. The convergence of that with the reverse design powerfully evokes the ongoing cultural legacy of the Viking Age as far into the 11th century as this. Duisburg never achieved the patronage of, or association with, Heinrich III that you could associate with Speyer or Goslar. ...But, hey. One picture of Heinrich, already as Emperor (c. 1039 -1056). From a manuscript contemporaneous to the latter phase. And here's his funly neo-Carolingian monogram. Which in turn evokes the one of Herbert I, count of Maine c. 1015 -1035, on his deniers (immobilized into the 11th century). ('ERBERTVS') (From a relatively early example of the immobilization, c. mid -late 11th century. ...An apparently unpublished variant, incorporating an initial "H," but otherwise the best one I have for the monogram.) Post anything 11th c. CE, or later medieval German, or (...maybe even more fun) both.
V.D., I'm posting this in the spirit of "maybe even more fun" since it has nothing to do with the interesting Henry III coin you posted . ARTNET NEWS recently reported the discovery of a miniature painting of Henry III (a different king than your coin ), king of France 1551-1589, painted by the renowned court artist Jean Decourt. This Henry III is best known as a cross-dresser ! https://news.artnet.com/art-world/a.../28/21&utm_term=US Daily Newsletter [MORNING]
...But it gets better! I'm sure that I, for one, would never have bumped into any reference to that amazing miniature. Should go look up and bookmark the ArtNews site. Thanks again!
I very much like your coin. With the archaizing monogram, that's a fascinating type. Here is a 'Saxon penny' from the same period: "Saxon penny", anonymous regional issue, under the early Salian emperors (Conrad II – Henry IV), ca. 1025–1060 AD, struck in the Saale region close to Naumburg. Obv: legend of wedges and retrograde [R?]- X-I-V (CRVX–type), cross with pellets and ringlets in quadrants. Rev: legend of wedges and C-V-X-[R?] (CRVX–type), cross of wedges. 16mm, 1.17g. Ref: Type Sal D 2:1; Dannenberg 1337.
@Orielensis, that strikes me as a pretty exceptional example of the type. Don't recall seeing ones with nearly as much legend as that. ...But, Wait! There's More! Just got notice that a book arrived at my apartment manager's office. --My library is nearly as weak for this phase of German history as it is for the coins. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0812235088/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I got it for around $30. It showed up fast enough that I had to double-check the Amazon account to make sure this is what it was. ...And, Yike, the only options left on Amazon are better than $100 more than that, before shipping. ...Dang, dodged a bullet on that one!
