Medieval Doyens, Please Pick Up the White Courtesy Phone...

I get a little nervous when I venture out of my wheelhouse. I picked up this Genoa Republic denaro, and the only information I've been able to glean from the internet comes from dealers. (And let's be honest - they're not the brightest bulbs on the porch.) Apparently the coins were minted to pay soldiers in the Crusades - is that wholly true, or just a partially true selling gimmick? They were struck by Conrad III of Germany, who participated in the Second Crusade, but he died in 1152, so why were the coins struck in his name for almost two centuries thereafter? Any help would be appreciated...



ITALY, Genova. Republic. 1139-1339.
AR Denaro (16mm, 0.85 g, 10h).
Obv.: + • IA • NV • A •; stylized castle.
Rev.: CVNRADI REX; cross pattée.
Ref.: CNI III 18; Varesi 16; Biaggi 835.

 

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Cool coin. Don't know anything about them, though.

 

In 1138, Conrad III granted Genoa the ius monete, the right to mint coins. This is why his name appears on Genoese coins for about 200 years. What we see here is thus an immobilized coin legend.

The denari of Genua can be separated into different classes that sometimes are hard to distinguish. Since your coin has a little wedge in the reverse field and no stops in the reverse legend, it belongs into class C. This class was minted in the 1170s and 1180s. Here is the relevant entry from MEC 12 (no. 209–211):





My own example, for comparison, is a slightly later class D denaro minted between the 1190s and 1236. It has no wedge and a single pellet in the reverse legend (after the X in "REX"):

Italy, Genoa, civic issue, AR denaro, 1139-1339 (class D, 1190s–1236 AD). Obv: +•IA•NV•A•; city gate. Rev: •CVNRADI REX; cross pattée. 16mm, 0.74g. Ref: MEC 12, 213–215; CNI 69; MIR 16; Biaggi 835.

 

Thank you kindly Bjoern!