Silver Denier Kingdom of France (1189-1196 | County of Poitou | King Richard the Lionheart)

A King You Can Hold: The Denier of Richard the Lionheart from Poitou

Hardly any ruler of the Middle Ages left behind as many legends as he did. Crusader, knightly king, prisoner of an emperor. With this denier, you hold a piece of genuine silver in your hand, struck during the lifetime of Richard the Lionheart – in the County of Poitou in western France, between 1189 and 1196.

Richard, son of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine, ruled England from 1189 as Richard I. On the continent, he simultaneously ruled over Poitou, a fief of the French crown. Hence its classification under the Kingdom of France: formally, the English king was here a vassal of his great rival Philip II. Minting ended when Richard transferred the county to his nephew Otto of Brunswick in 1196, the later Emperor Otto IV.

Cross and Script: The Coin's Design in Detail

The design is typical of the pfennig era of the High Middle Ages. Simple, powerful, unmistakable.

• Obverse: An equal-armed cross within a beaded circle, surrounded by the inscription ✠ RICARDVS REX – "King Richard".
• Reverse: The legend PIC / TAVIE / NSIS in three lines across the field. Read together, this forms PICTAVIENSIS, a reference to Poitiers and Poitou (Latin: Pictavia).
• Technique: Hand-struck with hammer and die, hence slightly irregular in shape and with individual centring.

A fascinating detail for connoisseurs: in England, Richard continued to have his pennies minted in his father's name, bearing the inscription HENRICVS REX. The Poitou denier is therefore one of the comparatively few coins that actually bear Richard's own name.

Technical Data at a Glance

• Denomination: Denier
• Issuing authority: Richard the Lionheart as Count of Poitou
• Minting period: 1189–1196, undated
• Material: Silver alloy, fineness varies by piece
• Gross weight: approx. 1 g
• Diameter: approx. 18 mm
• Condition: Circulated piece, grade of preservation varies
• Origin: Mints of France

Condition: Traces That Tell a Story

These pieces were in general circulation – and they look like it, too. Darker patina, individual centring, small nicks, wear, and in places weaker-struck sections of the legend: these are not flaws, but biography. Every trace comes from hands that, centuries ago, used it to settle payments for goods, cargo or debts.

Since the year of minting, mint location and reverse variant can differ, the piece delivered may differ from the image shown. Please understand the photo in the shop explicitly as a representative example: appearance, exact weight and condition vary from piece to piece for historical reasons. You are purchasing an original.

Silver and Ransom: The Metal That Determined Richard's Fate

On his return from the Third Crusade, Richard was recognised and captured near Vienna in December 1192. Emperor Henry VI ultimately demanded an enormous ransom: 150,000 marks in silver. The entire Angevin Empire had to bear this burden. It was not until spring 1194 that the king returned to England.

While gold is considered humanity's oldest currency, in 12th-century Western Europe the silver pfennig was the true money of everyday life. Farmers, merchants and mercenaries paid with deniers like this one. Gold coins minted locally were barely known there at Richard's time.

Silver was the backbone of monetary circulation in the Middle Ages – and to this day it has remained a metal with tangible, intrinsic value.

This tradition continues. Silver has outlasted currencies and empires, retains its physical properties over centuries, and is traded worldwide as a raw material – in demand in electronics, medical technology and jewellery making. Unlike paper money, which relies solely on trust in governments, silver possesses intrinsic value. Many investors therefore value it as an inflation hedge and as crisis protection in turbulent times.

A Collector's Piece with Soul: The Comparison Is Worthwhile

Modern silver coins such as the Maple Leaf or the Vienna Philharmonic offer a great deal of metal per piece. This denier plays in a different league. Here, the focus is not on weight but on age, ruler and provenance. Those seeking pure material value should turn to the ounce coin. Those who want to own history they can weigh in their hand should choose this piece – or deliberately combine both in their collection.

Compared to an English short-cross penny from Richard's reign, the Poitou denier has a clear advantage: the royal name RICARDVS appears on the coin itself. For collectors interested in the Crusades, the House of Plantagenet, or medieval France, it is a true centrepiece.

Who Is This Denier Suited For?

For collectors of medieval coins as well as history enthusiasts seeking an original testament to the age of the crusaders. It also makes a meaningful gift with depth, for instance for fans of the Robin Hood legends, in which Richard appears as the returning king. And it is a piece that can be passed down through generations. Good to know: in Germany, profits from the sale of physical silver are generally tax-free after a holding period of at least one year.

Over 800 years old, struck in the name of one of Europe's most famous kings: secure your original denier of Richard the Lionheart at Kettner Edelmetalle.