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Double Tournois - Philip IV

Started by RoyalCoinage, October 01, 2024, 12:27:45 AM

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RoyalCoinage

Obverse:

Cross confined to 1 of a lily.
Lettering: + PhILIPPVS REX .
Translation: Philip, king.
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Reverse:

Châtel Tournament pediment bearing two ringlets at the base, topped with a cross and flanked by two lilies.
Lettering: + mOn DVPLEX REGAL .
Translation: Royal double coinage.

Figleaf

#1
Philip IV, probably better known as Philip the Fair was the first of the "cursed kings" of the house of Capet. He was quite unpleasant, starting to transform France into a centralised authoritarian state. In the beginning of his reign, seeing Flemish wealth, he increased their taxes, only to be rebuffed and beaten at the battle of the golden spurs in 1302. He quarrelled with the pope, expelled jews (grabbing their money while at it) and destroyed the order of the knights templar with great cruelty, all for money. At the end of his reign, the Tour de Nesle affair, again dealt with by using great cruelty, was the beginning of the end of the Capet dynasty.

In spite of Philip's constant money grabbing, his coinage fluctuated enormously. Your coin dates from the early years (1295-1303), when the coinage had already been weakened twice (1290 and 1295). Its official weight (1.439 grams) and silver content (339/1000) was far below its denomination and it would go lower again in 1303, after the disastrous battle of the golden spurs.

This is Dy 229. Duplessy pictures a specimen with the heraldic lily in the second quarter (NE). On yours, it is in the first quarter (NW). I have also seen coins with the lily in the third quarter (SE).

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

Tirant

This one is a must have for any medieval collector. Love it!