CAROLINGIANS. Louis 'le Pieux' (the Pious), as Emperor Louis I, 814-840. Denier (Silver, 21 mm, 1.59 g, 2 h), a contemporary imitation. Uncertain mint, after 822. ✠ HLVDOVVICVS IMP Cross pattée with pellet in each quarter. Rev. XPISTIΛNΛ RELIGO Temple. Cf. Prou 987 and M&G 472 (for prototype). Lightly toned. Flan straigthened and with light doubling, otherwise, very fine.


Since their earliest study, the Christiana Religio denarii of Louis the Pious have posed a number of difficult questions for numismatists. While some contemporary imitations are immediately recognizable through their blundered legends and highly degenerated designs, other pieces, as the coin offered here, are far more subtle. In recent years such specimens such have increasingly been viewed as products outside the official Carolingian minting system rather than as regular imperial issues.

Most of these irregular pieces seem to belong to the Frisian and North Sea monetary sphere, especially the trading networks connected with Haithabu. Unlike the better-known Frisian imitations of Carolingian gold coinage, such as the Munus Divinum series, imitations of the silver Christiana Religio type are considerably more difficult to identify with confidence. This is largely because the official coinage itself displays an unusually broad range of style and execution. As a consequence, the line between official provincial issues, unofficial local productions, and contemporary imitations is often difficult to define with certainty.