425, Lot: 691. Estimate $100. Sold for $60. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

FRANCE, Provincial. Déols. Eudes l’Ancien (Odo the old). 1012-1044. AR Denier (20mm, 1.11 g, 3h). + ODO + DVX, cross pattée; pellets hanging from crossbar / + DOLEO CIVE:S (S retrograde), degraded Karolus monogram. Legros 1319; cf. Duplessy, Féodales 666A; Poey d' Avant 1925 var. (rev. legend); Boudeau –; Roberts 4072. Near EF, toned, typical areas of weak strike. Very rare.

From the BRN Collection, purchased from Andy Singer, January 2008.

The seigneurs (lords) of Déols first came to prominence in the early 10th century, when Ebbes the Noble founded a Benedictine Abby in the town, which also boasted the ancient Christian tombs of Sts. Leocade and Ludre. Pilgrimages to the latter was largely responsible for the early fortunes of the town and its lords. In the mid-10th century, Raoul the Great gave the family's castle to the abby, and built a new chateau across the River Loire, which developed into the prominent city of Chateauroux. By this time, the power of Déols was such that virtually all of southern Berry was under its control, rivaling the power of Bourges in the north. The wealth of the family was visible through the prolific issues struck during the time of Eudes l'ancien (1012-1044). Interestingly, Eudes signed his coins as "Dux," but there is no information confirming the grant of this title to him, and it does not occur on the coins of his successors. The last direct member of this early dynasty at Déols was Raoul VI, who died in 1176 while returning from a crusade in the Holy Land.