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Auction: 26004 - British and World Coins and Medals
Lot: 2

Merovingia Francia, National Series (c. 600-675), Pale AV Tremissis, "Palate/Brio" Type [Uncertain North Eastern Frankish Mint], + PALATE + in retrograde commencing at 8 o'clock, diademed and cuirassed bust left, rev. blundered outer legends surrounding short cross pattée, B | R | I | O in angles, 1.33g [20.53grns], 7h [Spink XRF: c. 44% AV] (Belfort -; Prou -; EMC 2026.0041 this coin), lightly scuffed to peripheries otherwise on a fuller, paler fabric planchet, a pleasingly bold very fine, a previously unrecorded and intriguing variety

Provenance

~ Found at Chelmsford (Essex), November 2025 ~

~ Recorded with the Fitzwilliam Museum (ref. EMC 2026.0041) ~



https://emc.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/full-record/20260041



Spink wishes to express its thanks to Dr Arent Pol for the following additional observations: "The obverse depicts a typical classicised bust, with the accompanying retrograde legend "PALATE" - which has been interpreted as a general indication used on coins "from the Palace", a mint (or series of mints) that cannot as yet be localised. The reverse, however, shows a cross with the letters B-R-I-O, which could conversely also be interpreted as an abbreviation for a mint signature. The closest parallel for this reverse, on a coin with a bust bearing right suggests an origin from the north-eastern part of Francia."


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Estimate
£2,000 to £3,000

Starting price
£1800