Papal States (1316-34) gros tournois Ber-176
The first specimen was lot 2016 in Künker sale 293 (Osnabrück, Germany, July 2017), where it sold for €1,200 (about US$1,617 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"ITALIEN, KIRCHENSTAAT/VATIKAN, Johannes XXII. 1316-1334. Grosso tornese o. J. (1316-1334), Pont de Sorgues. RR Sehr schön. Exemplar der Sammlung Trampitsch, Auktion Crédit de la Bourse, Paris 1994, Nr. 6. (Papal States, John XXII, 1316-34, undated grosso. Rare, very fine.)"
The second specimen was lot 893 in Jean Elsen sale 162 (Brussels, June 2025), where it sold for €280 (about US$388 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[2] noted,
"FRANCE, ÉTATS PONTIFICAUX, Jean XXII (1316-1334), (Jacques Arnaud d'Euse), AR gros, Pont-de-Sorgues. Au titre du Comtat Venaissin. Imitation du gillat provençal de Robert d'Anjou. D/ + IOHES: PAPA: XXII COMES: VENASINI Le pape trônant de f. sur deux lions, bénissant et ten. un sceptre cr. R/ + AGIM': TIBI: GRA': OMNIPOTENS DEVS Croix feuillue. Rare. Griffes. (France, Papal States, John XXII, 1316-34, silver groat, Pont-de-Sorgues mint, with the title of count of Venaissin. An imitation of the gillat provencal of Robert d'Anjou. Obverse: the pope seated between two lions, facing, hand raised in blessing and holding a scepter; reverse: floriate cross. Rare, scratches, about Very Fine.)"
This medieval looking coin was struck in the county of Venaissin in southern France, the popes having been driven from their Italian dominions by the anarchy and feuding there. That is why this rare coin is called by its French name, gros tournois, rather than the Italian grosso. The grosso was intended to be four denari or silver pennies. The popes would not return to Rome until 1377, only to have the Great Schism erupt the following year. This was long after John's reign, whose main controversy was whether the Franciscan friars should be allowed to live in absolute poverty.
Recorded mintage: unknown but rare.
Specification: 3.81 g, silver, 25 mm diameter, the first specimen 3.90 g, the second specimen 3,88 g.
Catalog reference: Muntoni 7, Ber-176; P.A. 4142.
- 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.
- [1]Künker Münzauktionen und Goldhandel, Katalog 293: Münzen aus Mittelalter und Neuzeit u. a. die westfälischen Privatsammlungen Werner Bröker und Bernd Terletzki, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2017.
- [2]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 162: Collection Jacques Druart, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2025.
Link to: