Denarius (Arles), 1 A


Obverse
Obverse legend
Reverse legend
Reverse

HLVDOVVICVS IMP AC (Laureate and draped bust of Louis The Pious on the right).

ARELATVIM (around a city gate with a cross below).



Photo of the copy preserved at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (public domain), link to the page of their website showing the photo of the coin: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b10413609d.r=louis%20le%20pieux?rk=3004306;4.

 

The letters following the number (1 A, 1 B..) classify the coins according to their quality of representation.

 

Obverse legend copied: HLVDOVVICVS IMP AVG

Reverse legend copied: ARELATVM

 

I classify this coin in fake Frisians, we know their imitations for the Sou d'or (Solidus), but nothing excludes that this coin is also one of their imitations. The style and the legend errors (AC instead of AVG and ARELATVIM instead of ARELATVM), are quite characteristic of Frisian productions. However, this coin is an excellent imitation, the legend is almost perfect, only the bust is really very far from the original type.


G F XF 40 AU 58 MS 63 MS 65
1 ? ? ? ? ? ?

Seems never to have gone on sale.