Castile (1217) dobla Fr-101b
This specimen was lot 34365 in Heritage sale 3098 (New York, January 2022), where it sold for $3,360. The catalog description[1] noted, "Castile. Enrique I (1214-1217) gold Morabetino (Maravedi or Dinar) 1255 Safar (AD 1217) UNC Details (Cleaned) NGC, Toledo mint. Struck in the name of Alfonso VIII (1158-1214). The very rare final date for that the Morabetino was minted under the Christian Kings of Castile, as well as the last year that the Safar calendar was used in Spain. Commencing on January 1, 38 BC--the year following Roman Emperor Augustus' conquest of Spain--it is especially interesting that the coins in the final year of Safar still carry the name of Alfonso VIII, despite the fact that they were minted during the brief reign of Enrique I. To date, we have been able to locate only a small number of Morabetinos of this year having come to auction, certainly making this piece highly desirable for the collector of late Islamic and early Christian Spain. From the GK Collection." The Arabic script made this coins more acceptable to Enrique's subjects, who were mostly Muslim. The legends, however, are Christian. Henry I died at the age of 13 after being struck in the head by a tile falling off a roof. He was succeeded by his sister, Berengaria, who abdicated in favor of her son, Ferdinand III.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: gold, this specimen 3.84 g.
Catalog reference: Cayón-1095, Fr-101b, Vives-2041, cf. MEC VI-360-362 (all different dates).
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Cayón, Adolfo, Clemente Cayón and Juan Cayón, Las Monedas Españolas, del Tremis al Euro: del 411 a Nuestros Dias, 2 volumes, Madrid: Cayón-Jano S.L., 2005.
- [1]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, NYINC World Coins Signature Auction 3098, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2021.
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