Denier anonymous ND
| Billon | 0.9 g | 19 mm |
| Issuer | County of Sancerre (French States) |
|---|---|
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
| Years | 1190-1230 |
| Value | 1 Denier (1⁄240) |
| Composition | Billon |
| Weight | 0.9 g |
| Diameter | 19 mm |
| Shape | Round (irregular) |
| Technique | Hammered |
| Orientation | Variable alignment ↺ |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-10-04 |
| Numista | N#175967 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 94% |
Reverse
Cross confined to the 2nd of a lily and the 3rd of an eight-pointed star.
Script: Latin
Lettering: ✠ SACRVM CЄSARIS
Translation: Sancerre.
Comment
Other references: Legros# 1543.
The primitive height of the town of Sancerre, on a plateau two kilometers high on the left bank of the Loire, is associated with the legend of the conqueror of Gaul, Julius Caesar. According to this legend, the name of "Sancerre" would be taken from a hypothetical Sacrum Caesaris, or "of Caesar the Sacred", then Christianized in Saint-César or Saint-Cère. But modern toponymic studies reject this explanation. Indeed, after the abandonment of the high site, the city moved to the plain, where now stands a sanctuary dedicated to Saint Satyrus, an African martyr of the 3rd century, near the trade routes and a cemetery outside the small city. In 1034, mention is made of a castle "Sancti Satyri": the popular form of Satyrus gives Sayre in old French, then Serre, hence the name Sancerre.
Interesting fact
One interesting fact about this coin is that it was minted during a time of great turmoil in France, specifically during the reign of King Louis VIII (1187-1223) and Louis IX (1214-1270). This period saw a series of conflicts between the French crown and the nobility, as well as the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars in southern France. Despite these challenges, the County of Sancerre was able to maintain its independence and issue its own coins, such as this Denier anonymous ND (1190-1230).