CAROLINGIANS. Charlemagne (Charles the Great). As Charles I, King of the Franks, 768-814. AR Denier (18mm, 1.33 g, 9h). Class 2. Medolus (Melle) mint. Struck 771-793/4. C(AR)o/LVS in two lines / mEDOLVS around central ornament; L with hook. Cf. Grierson, Coins of Medieval Europe 77 (for type); Coupland, Charlemagne 4; Depeyrot 605; M&G 268 corr. (rev. legend); MEC I, 727 . Deep cabinet toning. Good VF. Great metal for issue.

From the Richard A. Jourdan Collection of Medieval European Coins, purchased from Andy Singer, 1999.

Charlemagne struck four classes of deniers. Coins of the first class were similar to those of his father Pepin, see above. Coins of class 2 represent an intermediate stage in the transition to uniformity of type. All coins of this class bear the king’s name CAROLVS on two lines with the AR ligatured on obverse. The reverse types vary according to mint.