PREVIEW: BRITISH COINS & TOKENS 19 & 20 SEPTEMBER

The Merovingian dynasty ruled the Franks from the beginning of the Dark Ages in the mid 5th century AD, emerging from the ranks of the Roman army as its power disintegrated across north-west Europe, and lasted until 751.

Its lands covered almost the whole of modern France extending from there across much of Western and Southern Germany into Austria, a landmass whose major centres stretched from Salzburg to Bordeaux and from Cologne to Marseilles.

Merovingian coinage began under Theudebert I (c.500-547/8) in Austrasia, a kingdom centred on the Rhine and Moselle regions. Initial designs were based on the Byzantine coinage that had been dominant up till then.

By the mid 7th century, much of the regal power lay in the hands of the mayor of the Palace, the king’s highest official. Trouble came after the childless king Sigebert adopted the son of his mayor Grimoald I in 642 AD. However, Sigebert later had a son, Dagobert, with the expectation that he would be the successor.

When Sigebert died in 656, Grimoald usurped Dagobert’s claim and elevated Childebert to the throne in Austrasia in 656 AD. While Childebert ruled for six years, the usurper and his father were eventually removed from power and executed, with Dagobert being restored to the throne.

Surviving coinage from Childebert’s short reign is thus rare, but the hugely varied nature of the coinage makes the highlight that appears in this sale all the rarer.

A Childebertus Adoptivus (656-662) Solidus, struck at the Marseilles mint, the obverse depicts a diademed and draped bust right, with a large b before the face, and mas-iγia around. The reverse is inscribed xnildebertvs rxi, surrounding a cross on globe, flanked by m-a.
As Noonans’ Head of Coins Tim Wilkes explains: “Merovingian minting appears to have been a hugely complex enterprise. Variation was the rule; thousands of moneyers and hundreds of different locations are recorded upon the coins, revealing a decentralised system of urban political culture.”

What is curious, he says, is that the name of the ruling Frankish sovereign was hardly ever employed, a surprising fact when considering the primacy attached to the imperial name and title on the late Roman coinage.

“The vast majority of Merovingian coinage looks, at face value, totally disconnected from royal authority. Only at the faraway mint of Marseilles do we find a sustained attempt to produce a coinage on the Roman mould - one which employs the royal name and systematically retains the use of the large gold Solidus, as with the coin in this auction.”

This series was produced throughout much of the seventh century, beginning under Chlothar II (c.613) and ending under Dagobert II (c.679). However, examples remain very rare, particularly in comparison to the relatively plentiful ‘National’ coinage, with the coinage of Childebertus Adoptivus being especially elusive.

The example here was a detectorist find in Southfleet, Kent in October 2022 and is registered with the Fitzwilliam Museum.

While a considerable proportion of Merovingian coinage finds have taken place in Britain, Royal Solidi of this type have been noticeably absent from contemporary hoards such as Sutton Hoo and Crondall.

“This suggests a marginal function as circulating coinage,” says Tim Wilkes. “The Royal’ Solidi found in Britain show signs of having been converted into jewellery, either through piercing or the attachment of a loop. Clearly, these large gold coins did not circulate widely, and they were largely retained for use as personal adornment.”

A mounted Solidus of Dagobert I is thought to have been a royal gift, and it is possible that all of these extremely rare coins (including the one in this sale) may be of that nature.

“One recalls the passage in Bede where the historian describes a dream experienced by the Kentish princess Eorcengota; a crowd of men had come to escort her away and declared their intention to ‘take back with them the golden coin’. Such a metaphor suggests that these objects could be imbued with great personal meaning and significance.”

Taking all this into consideration and the very fine condition with a strong royal portrait, despite minor stress marks and some peripheral weakness, Noonans have estimated the Solidus at £4,000-5,000.