Assigned by Coupland to Melle

411, Lot: 500. Estimate $300. Sold for $280. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

CAROLINGIANS. Louis 'le Pieux' (the Pious). As Emperor Louis I, 814-840. AR Denier (20.5mm, 1.35 g, 4h). Class 3. Unspecified (Melle) mint. Struck 822-840. + HLVDOVVICVS IMP, cross pattée; pellets in quarters / XPISTIANA RELIGIO, temple façade. Coupland, Money –, but since assigned in his schema to Group M (for Melle); Depeyrot 1179; M&G 472; MEC 1, –. Near EF, slightly irregular flan.

From the Simon Coupland Collection, purchased from ebaY France, December 2012.

This coin was discovered together with three other Christiana religio coins of Louis the Pious at Cosne d’Allier (Allier) in 2011, and the hoard was published in Numismatic Chronicle 173 (2013) (p. 359-361, pl. 62). This and one other coin were attributed to Group M1, from Melle. This specimen was probably minted later in the series, at it is closer in appearance to certain Christiana religio coins of Charles the Bald attributable to Melle, with a tall roof on the temple and neat, regular lettering (note in particular the barred As). [S. Coupland]