Avignon (1342-52) obole Ber-187
This specimen was lot 1338 in Jean Elsen sale 152 (Brussels, September 2022), where it sold for €320 (about US$387 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, ETATS PONTIFICAUX, Clément VI (1342-1352), (Pierre Roger de Beaufort), AR obole, Pont-de-Sorgues. Au titre du Comtat Venaissin. D/ CLEMEN[S PP SES]T B. mitré du pape de f. R/ + COM[ES VENA]SINI Croix pattée cantonnée au 2e de clés croisées. De la plus haute rareté Faiblesse de frappe. Beau à Très Beau. (France, Papal States, Clement VI, 1342-52, copper obol, Pont-de-Sorgues mint, with the title of count of Venaissin. Obverse: mitred bust facing; reverse: cross pattée cantonned with crossed keys. Only three examples reported, extremely rare, weakly struck, Fine - Very Fine.)"
The popes fled Roman anarchy in 1304 and ended up in Avignon in 1309, where they resided until the 1360's. When Urban V returned to Rome in 1367, many cardinals refused to go with him and instead elected an antipope in 1378, precipitating the Great Schism which lasted until 1417. This was long after Clement's reign, whose main crisis was the Black Death. An obole was half a denaro.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 0.84 g, 0.278 fine silver, this specimen 0,52 g.
Catalog reference: Munt. 8 (three examples reported); P.A. 4155; D. 1780; Berman 187.
- Berman, Allen G., Papal Coins, South Salem, NY: Attic Books, 1991.
- Francesco Muntoni, Le Monete del Papi e Degli Stati Pontifici, 4 vols. Rome: P & P Santamaria, 1973.
- Roberts, James N., The Silver Coins of Medieval France (476-1610 AD), S. Salem, NY: Attic Books, 1996.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 152: Collection Ferdy Willems, Celtic coins, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2022.
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