any ideas on this coin? France? Italy?

I've exhausted my search... I've looked at Numista, http://numismatics.org/search/result and https://www.acsearch.info/search.html and google images without much luck

it's in pretty bad shape. Here is what I can make out:

• Reverse: Lettering: XPS _ _ XPS IM _ _ S and cross
• Obverse Lettering: R _ _ SI IE K _ _ _ B and 3 fleur-de-lys topped by a crown (maybe SMPE below)

I originally thought French because of the coat of arms (crown and fleur-de-lys) and cross but then found this: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/meepzorp/mi_siena_sulmona.htm from the Kingdom of Naples

Any ideas?

 

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Is it copper? Medieval coins are usually silver.
I have a good handful of 1600-1700 Naples coppers, and the ones with the
cross are usually more squared off. I'm still thinking France, though there are other countries which used the Fleur-de-Lys, as you concluded.
Naples Filippo IV 1622-1624 Grano

Naples, Felipe II, 3 Cavalli 1568-1599 copy


French regional coinage can also have the Fleur-de-Lys, such as this:
Sedan Double Tournois 1634-38


Sorry for the low quality--I collect from junk bins mostly.
Anyway, if you don't mind confirming weight/diameter/composition I'd be happy to look around. Having some edge text is great, so you can probably get a positive ID eventually.

 

Edit: This seems to be a common inscription on French coins:
XPS. VINCT. XPS. REGNT. XPS. IMP. (Example not mine)
I think your coin has an abbreviated version

I think your coin (below) from 12:00 reads:
XPS. IM. XPS. VI(N?). XPS. RE.

 

Here is something similar...

https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces219661.html

 

@The Eidolon thanks for your post and pictures. From what I'm reading about crosses I think those in your pics are referred to as a "Jerusalem cross". I've seen the cross on this coin referred to as a "Cross with fork-ends" (see https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces219661.html)

I think it's copper or billion and weighs 1.8g and it measures 19mm x 17mm

 

yep, I looked at that one and the lettering didn't match up so I moved on--i'm going to now go back and dig on more examples from Dombes to see if I can line up any lettering. I was also thrown off by the bar cutting through the lilys -- not sure what that means yet.

 

yes, it's difficult to figure out what all of that means. I think "XPS" refers to Jesus Christ (or Omega of Alpha and Omega) but not positive. I found that here.

 

Oh! It's Greek then. X = Chi, P = Rho, S = Sigma
So XPS is probably an abbreviation for Christ.
Something like Christ King, Christ Victorious, Christ Commands or some such.

Edit: Here we go--
Christus Vincit, Christus Regnat, Christus Imperat!
Christ conquers, Christ reigns, Christ commands!
Source: Vatican News

 

This is most definitely a cavallo of Charles the VIII of France. It is a variety of the coin in your link with a different cross. I can’t find your specific one but varieties definitely exist, as shown here.

 

I think this phrase is a pretty common motto.

 

Is it possibly from French-controlled Naples?

 

Definitely! A very messy time in Italian history as I recently learned. I am becoming more interested in the history of Italian states, although that doesn’t show in my personal numismatic collection due to college. I never really sought that area out until recently. Something like this or the 1648 republic of Naples money is neat because it illustrates the upheaval over centuries in a single kingdom.

 

Have to show off my 1648 Republic of Naples 3 Tornesi, then:


Anyway, I think most of the obverse is readable now that I know what to look for:
From 12:00 position. Double dot indicates the start/end of the inscription, single dot separates words (mostly abbreviated)
It seems to be a variant of KAROLVS°DGR° FRA°SI°IE on @Milesofwho 's link.
Something like:
KR for Karolus (Charles VIII=Carlo VIII)
(unreadable until 4:00 position)
DGR (Dei Gratia)
(unreadable)
R (Rex)
FR (France)
SI (Sicily = Kingdom of Sicily and Naples perhaps)
IE (Imperatore = Emperor)

 

Awesome. That makes a lot of sense. So the letters are likely "XPS RE XPS IM XPS VI"

 

That's perfect. Thank you!!!

 

so I think everyone is saying that this is

a 'cavallo' of Charles the VIII of France and is from some time between 1495 and 1498 (his rule).

and is a variant of this.

The lettering on the side with the cross is "XPS RE XPS IM XPS VI" and means "Christus Vincit, Christus Regnat, Christus Imperat!" or "Christ conquers, Christ reigns, Christ commands!"

The lettering on the side with the lily(s) references the following:

KR for Karolus (Charles VIII=Carlo VIII)
DGR (Dei Gratia)
R (Rex)
FR (France)
SI (Sicily = Kingdom of Sicily and Naples perhaps)
IE (Imperatore = Emperor)

does everyone agree with all of the above?

 

It all sounds good, but the year span is actually much more restrictive than fifteen years. Charles took Naples in 1495, and died in 1498. So the span is only 1495-1498.

 

great. i'll update the post for anyone that may read it in the future.