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<p>[QUOTE="FitzNigel, post: 3731940, member: 74712"]Since this thread was brought up recently, I thought I would just tack on a couple of extra coins here relating to the Normans of Southern Italy. First is this imitation of a Byzantine Follis:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1000684[/ATTACH] </p><p>Norman Italy - Apulia</p><p>Roger Borsa, r. 1085-1111</p><p>AE Follis, 19.08 mm x 2.2 grams</p><p>Obv.: Bust of Christ facing, cross behind, wearing pallium and Colvin , raising right hand in benediction, Gospels in left, crescent above, IC - XC flanking</p><p>Rev.: Cross with globule and two pellets at each extremity, large crescent below, four globules around each surrounded by pellets</p><p><br /></p><p>This is imitating the Anonymous Class J Follis. This particular coin was found in Southern Italy, and its smaller weight and find location is what suggests it was minted by the Normans. My attribution to Roger Borsa in Apulia is due to coins if a similar weight and size from this time and region, and is pure speculation. But the coin may be evidence of an attempt by the Normans to add to the Byzantine copper coinage already in use in Southern Italy.</p><p><br /></p><p>The next two are interesting for similar reasons:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1000685[/ATTACH] </p><p>Norman Italy - Sicily</p><p>William II, r. 1166-1189</p><p>Messina Mint, Second Copper Large Follaro, 25.28 mm x 11.2 grams</p><p>Obv.: Lion Head</p><p>Rev.: Palm tree with dates</p><p>Ref.: NCKS 372, MEC 14.425</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1000688[/ATTACH] </p><p>Norman Italy - Sicily</p><p>William II, r. 1166-1189</p><p>Messina Mint, Second Copper Follaro, 12.04 mm x 2.0 grams</p><p>Obv.: Lion Head</p><p>Rev.: Arabic legend “al-malik / Ghulyalim / al-athani” (King William II)</p><p>Ref.: NCKS 373, MEC 14.432</p><p><br /></p><p>On both of these coins, a lion head is shown which appears to be reminiscent of the Ancient Greek coins that were minted in the region hundreds of years previously (I keep meaning to find an example for my collection, but funds have been limited - if anyone has one, I would love to see it!) I believe several Greek states had the same motif of two opposing Lion heads (which the Normans interpreted as one facing head), but I could be wrong. I am not sure if the palm tree in the large Follaro has inspiration from elsewhere, but the small Follaro shows another example of the use of Arabic on Norman coins.</p><p><br /></p><p>Lastly, not mine, but it fits with the theme of this thread:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1000689[/ATTACH] </p><p>Norman Kingdom of North Africa. William I AV Dinar. Mahdia AH 549 = AD 1154/5. Cufic legend outer rim: ‘Struck by order of the guide according to the command of God, King William, in the city of Mahdia in the year 549’; inner rim: ‘Praise be to God, it is fitting to praise Him and, He is deserving and worthy[of praise]’; centre: ‘King William’ / Cufic legend: outer and inner rims as obverse; centre: ‘the Guide according to the command of God’. For the only other known specimen see J. Rodriguez Lorente and T. Ibrahim. Numismatica de Ceuta Musulmana, Madrid 1987, 221; J. Johns, ‘Malik Ifriquya: The Norman Kingdom of Africa and the Fatimids’, Libyan Studies 18, 1987, pp. 92-4; MEC 14, p. 120; H. Abdul-Wahab, ‘Deux dinar normands de Mahdia’, Revue Tunisienne 1930, ns. 1/3-4: pp. 215-218 and plate. 4.08g, 24mm, 6h. (Description From Roma Numismatics, Auction XVIII, <a href="https://www.romanumismatics.com/209-lot-1364-norman-kingdom-of-north-africa-william-i-av-dinar?arr=0&auction_id=63&box_filter=0&cat_id=7&department_id=&exclude_keyword=&export_issue=0&gridtype=listview&high_estimate=125000&image_filter=0&keyword=&list_type=list_view&lots_per_page=100&low_estimate=50&month=&page_no=1&paper_filter=0&search_type=&sort_by=lot_number&view=lot_detail&year=" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.romanumismatics.com/209-lot-1364-norman-kingdom-of-north-africa-william-i-av-dinar?arr=0&auction_id=63&box_filter=0&cat_id=7&department_id=&exclude_keyword=&export_issue=0&gridtype=listview&high_estimate=125000&image_filter=0&keyword=&list_type=list_view&lots_per_page=100&low_estimate=50&month=&page_no=1&paper_filter=0&search_type=&sort_by=lot_number&view=lot_detail&year=" rel="nofollow">Lot 1364</a>).</p><p><br /></p><p>The Normans ruled a small portion of Northern Africa for a very short period of time. They did mint some coins, but very few are known to exist. This action listing is the first color photo of one of these coins I have seen.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="FitzNigel, post: 3731940, member: 74712"]Since this thread was brought up recently, I thought I would just tack on a couple of extra coins here relating to the Normans of Southern Italy. First is this imitation of a Byzantine Follis: [ATTACH=full]1000684[/ATTACH] Norman Italy - Apulia Roger Borsa, r. 1085-1111 AE Follis, 19.08 mm x 2.2 grams Obv.: Bust of Christ facing, cross behind, wearing pallium and Colvin , raising right hand in benediction, Gospels in left, crescent above, IC - XC flanking Rev.: Cross with globule and two pellets at each extremity, large crescent below, four globules around each surrounded by pellets This is imitating the Anonymous Class J Follis. This particular coin was found in Southern Italy, and its smaller weight and find location is what suggests it was minted by the Normans. My attribution to Roger Borsa in Apulia is due to coins if a similar weight and size from this time and region, and is pure speculation. But the coin may be evidence of an attempt by the Normans to add to the Byzantine copper coinage already in use in Southern Italy. The next two are interesting for similar reasons: [ATTACH=full]1000685[/ATTACH] Norman Italy - Sicily William II, r. 1166-1189 Messina Mint, Second Copper Large Follaro, 25.28 mm x 11.2 grams Obv.: Lion Head Rev.: Palm tree with dates Ref.: NCKS 372, MEC 14.425 [ATTACH=full]1000688[/ATTACH] Norman Italy - Sicily William II, r. 1166-1189 Messina Mint, Second Copper Follaro, 12.04 mm x 2.0 grams Obv.: Lion Head Rev.: Arabic legend “al-malik / Ghulyalim / al-athani” (King William II) Ref.: NCKS 373, MEC 14.432 On both of these coins, a lion head is shown which appears to be reminiscent of the Ancient Greek coins that were minted in the region hundreds of years previously (I keep meaning to find an example for my collection, but funds have been limited - if anyone has one, I would love to see it!) I believe several Greek states had the same motif of two opposing Lion heads (which the Normans interpreted as one facing head), but I could be wrong. I am not sure if the palm tree in the large Follaro has inspiration from elsewhere, but the small Follaro shows another example of the use of Arabic on Norman coins. Lastly, not mine, but it fits with the theme of this thread: [ATTACH=full]1000689[/ATTACH] Norman Kingdom of North Africa. William I AV Dinar. Mahdia AH 549 = AD 1154/5. Cufic legend outer rim: ‘Struck by order of the guide according to the command of God, King William, in the city of Mahdia in the year 549’; inner rim: ‘Praise be to God, it is fitting to praise Him and, He is deserving and worthy[of praise]’; centre: ‘King William’ / Cufic legend: outer and inner rims as obverse; centre: ‘the Guide according to the command of God’. For the only other known specimen see J. Rodriguez Lorente and T. Ibrahim. Numismatica de Ceuta Musulmana, Madrid 1987, 221; J. Johns, ‘Malik Ifriquya: The Norman Kingdom of Africa and the Fatimids’, Libyan Studies 18, 1987, pp. 92-4; MEC 14, p. 120; H. Abdul-Wahab, ‘Deux dinar normands de Mahdia’, Revue Tunisienne 1930, ns. 1/3-4: pp. 215-218 and plate. 4.08g, 24mm, 6h. (Description From Roma Numismatics, Auction XVIII, [URL='https://www.romanumismatics.com/209-lot-1364-norman-kingdom-of-north-africa-william-i-av-dinar?arr=0&auction_id=63&box_filter=0&cat_id=7&department_id=&exclude_keyword=&export_issue=0&gridtype=listview&high_estimate=125000&image_filter=0&keyword=&list_type=list_view&lots_per_page=100&low_estimate=50&month=&page_no=1&paper_filter=0&search_type=&sort_by=lot_number&view=lot_detail&year=']Lot 1364[/URL]). The Normans ruled a small portion of Northern Africa for a very short period of time. They did mint some coins, but very few are known to exist. This action listing is the first color photo of one of these coins I have seen.[/QUOTE]
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