The top one has (obverse) a portrait facing (looks like a hound dog), and what looks like "DEI . IUTITIA" (God and Justice?) in the obverse legend. The reverse legend reads "IMPERATOR" and I struggle to decipher the bit in the middle. It is silver, thin, and roughly the size of a UK penny. The botton one has (obverse) a portrait facing right with the legend IMP. FEDERICUS. The reverse has a type of city view (similar to coinage of Hamburg but not quite the same) with what looks to be the initials IGA on the left and MVM on the right. It is silver, thin, and roughly the same size of a US dime. I've had these two for years now and every now and again I try to identify them, so far without any luck. I am almost certain that they are German, but I don't have reference books for small denomination coinage of that era from that area. I could be well out though. The only thing I am positive about is that they are not French Any help would be appreciated. Ian
Ian,these coins could be either from Germany (one of the states) or from one of the countries in Scandinavia.I know for a fact that these are definitely NOT Irish. Aidan.
Now. That's what I call helpfull. So I can discount the fact that the first one is a spitting image of Ian Paisley then? It's not often you see a pair of psychotic eyes to match his is it? Ian
You know what Ian on closer examination you might well be right I thought that old B*&%*£d wass a lot older than he claimed De Orc :eating: :hatch: :loud:
success!! Jim Roberts just positively I.D'd both coins. The first is from the Republic of Modena (Italy) circa 1226-1293 . The legend is actually DE MVTINA and not quite as I had surmised. The reverse has FDC in the centre referring to Frederick II Holy Roman Emperor. The second is from the Commune of Bergamo during the late 13th / early 14th century, struck in the name of the same emperor but (as Jim says) maybe at a later date. The letters either side of the towers are (BER) GA | MUM The letters in brackets were apparently combined to produce an `F' like symbol. Gosh isn't it all soooo easy when you know what it is that you are looking at. My hat is off to Jim He is a veritable mine of numismatic information (and my hero!). He's the guy who wrote the reference book `The Silver Coins of Medieval France ' (one of my most prized possessions) and who also recently managed to provide an amazing resource concerning mediaeval German coins online : http://www.someoldcoins.org/saur/index.html Anyone wanting a quick link to info concerning who / what Frederick II was, try this link: http://tinyurl.com/83dyc Ian `A VERY Happy Bunny'
And to think I just moments ago sent an email off to someone to find you an answer :hatch: Oh well - now you've got one :thumb:
Thanks GD. I know full well that a challenge like that would have had you scurrying away in the background trying to find an answer, and generally being your usual very helpful self. I truly appreciate your efforts, and who knows maybe they will turn up some added information. :high5: Ian
Ian, I had a post all typed out and at the last minute after reading it over,I deleted it. However,I did nail the Frederick II part of the attribution.That was easy since,from what I could learn,only he and his father would have IMP after their names for Holy roman Emperor.After that I went down the German States path and fell off the Earth..LOL Hats off to Jim Roberts.
Well done. I think you did better than me. I started with the German States ....and promptly fell off the earth. It's a lifetime study all in itself.
