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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;zumbly, post: 2368497, member: 57495&quot;]Medieval is far from my main collecting interests, but this coin is still one of my most interesting mixed lot finds to date.&nbsp; It&#039;s a large bronze from 11th century Calabria, struck in the name of a Norman conqueror, Roger de Hauteville.&nbsp; On the obverse is the Great Count himself, armoured and on horseback, carrying a swallow-tail shield and banner over his shoulder.&nbsp; On the reverse, Virgin Mary is seated and holding a nimbate Christ Child.&nbsp; The flat strike to the left obliterates some of the legend, but I&#039;m glad the cross and MARIA are bold and clear.&nbsp; All in all, it&#039;s a big, impressive coin with striking devices.&nbsp; I&#039;d be happy to see any related types that anyone has <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />. </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]483997[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>ITALY, NORMANS IN CALABRIA</b></p><p><b>Roger I, AD 1072-1101</b></p><p>AE Trifollaro</p><p>11.13g, 29.4mm</p><p>Mileto mint, circa 1098-1101</p><p>Travaini 160; Sambon 876; Biaggi 1583</p><p>O: ROG-E-RIVS COME-S (<i>Count Roger</i>), Roger, armored, on horseback left, holding banner and swallow-tail shield. </p><p>R: + MARIA MATER DNI (<i>Mary Mother of Our Lord</i>), Virgin Mary, nimbate, enthroned right, holding the nimbate Christ Child.</p><p><br /></p><p>Roger I &#039;Bosso&#039;, the Great Count of Sicily, was the son of a petty Norman lord whose adventures in Italy with his brother, Robert Guiscard, in the mid 11th century, led to their conquering almost all of Calabria.&nbsp; From there, they staged successful invasions of Sicily and Malta and drove out the Moors, who had ruled there for over two hundred years.&nbsp; Local tradition in Malta has it that in gratitude of Roger&#039;s heroic liberation of the island, the Maltese adopted the colours of his coat-of-arms as their national flag.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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