Denarius, type 2

Obverse

Obverse legend

Reverse legend

Reverse

CARo - LVS (inscribed in two lines, one globule in the middle between the letters A and V, one globule in the upper loop and another in the lower loop of the letter S).

AVE _ NI (monogram with the letter A and V mixed, followed by the letter I and the letter E retrograde, N and I mixed and below the letter A. A tilde under the monogram. A group of three globules in a triangle above and another below the letter E, one globule to the left of the letter A, one globule under the tilde and a cross to the left of NI).

Coin sold by Numismatica Genevensis SA, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6501088.

Difficult to know what is the orientation of the reverse ... the tilde should be above, but in this case the letters A and V constituting the beginning of the legend, would be the last letters. In addition we would read AVENI retrograde. In my opinion, the tilde is below the legend.

L'attribution de cet atelier est discutée. Je cite Numismatica Genevensis SA à propos de cette monnaie: ''Un document historique d'une importance capitale. Une monnaie splendide dans un état de conservation remarquable.
Le revers de ce denier s'inspire directement de celui émis à Genève par Pépin le Bref (752-769), découvert dans le trésor d'Imphy (Nièvre) et actuellement au Musée de Berlin (= De Longpérier, RN 1858, pp. 258 et ss. = Morrison & Grunthal 58 = Colin Martin, « Denier de Charlemagne frappé à Genève » in « Gazette numismatique suisse » XXVII, p. 69, fig. 1). Ce denier de Pépin présente un G en début de légende, qui a été remplacé par trois globules sur notre monnaie. L'absence de cette lettre a amené Morrison et Grunthal à classer cette monnaie parmi les ateliers indéterminés. Depeyrot quant à lui l'a attribuée à Avignon en retournant la pièce de 180 degrés. Or il ne remet pas en question l'attribution à Genève du denier de Pépin, pourtant manifestement issu du même atelier. L'apparition d'une autre monnaie de Charlemagne dans la vente Bru Sale de décembre 2011 (lot 116) est venu éclairer la question d'un jour nouveau. Le revers, très proche de celui de notre monnaie, comporte en effet encore la lettre G présente sur le denier de Pépin. Nous sommes donc en présence d'une dégénération progressive de la légende : Pépin – Bru Sale – le présent exemplaire. Notre monnaie est donc bien une production genevoise, probablement réalisée en 773 lors du séjour de Charlemagne à Genève. Ce type dégénéré, pratiquement devenu illisible au fil des émissions, sera remplacé quelques années plus tard par de nouvelles monnaies portant la légende GENE-VA sur deux lignes.''. Traduction: A historic document of paramount importance. A splendid coin in a remarkable state of conservation.
The reverse of this denarius is directly inspired by that issued in Geneva by Pépin le Bref (752-769), discovered in the treasury of Imphy (Nièvre) and currently at the Berlin Museum (= De Longpérier, RN 1858, pp. 258 et ss. = Morrison & Grunthal 58 = Colin Martin, “Denier de Charlemagne struck at Genava'' in “Gazette numismatique suisse” XXVII, p. 69, fig. 1). This pepin denarius has a G at the start of the legend, which has been replaced by three globules on our coin. The absence of this letter led Morrison and Grunthal to classify this coin among the undetermined mints. Depeyrot meanwhile attributed it to Avignon by turning the coin 180 degrees. However, it does not call into question the attribution in Geneva of Pépin's denarius, yet obviously from the same mint. The appearance of another Charlemagne coin in the Bru Sale sale of December 2011 (lot 116) has shed new light on the question. The reverse, very close to that of our coin, indeed still includes the letter G present on the denarius of Pepin. We are therefore in the presence of a progressive degeneration of the legend: Pépin - Bru Sale - this copy. Our coin is therefore a Geneva production, probably made in 773 during Charlemagne's stay in Geneva. This degenerate type, practically become illegible over the issues, will be replaced a few years later by new currencies bearing the legend GENE-VA on two lines. I'm waiting to see the Berlin coin to compare, because like other experts, by turning the coin, we see a legend corresponding to the name of Avignon (on the website of the museum of berlin, I found only only one coin, clearly different from it, link to the coin: http://www.smb-digital.de/eMuseumPlus?service=ExternalInterface&module=collection&objectId=2378330&viewType=detailView.

The coin sold by Numismatica Genevensis SA achieved a price of 42,000 CHF ... There is no doubt in my opinion, that this coin has seen its price increase enormously, for a reason. Perhaps because the auction house is located abroad and that a richer public has deemed it prestigious to afford a foreign coin ... an investment. I corrected the estimate. There is no particular reason for this coin to be sold 10 times the price of another coin from the same mint or another much rarer and in the same condition.