CNG 100, Lot: 461. Estimate $2000. Sold for $3250. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

MEROVINGIANS, Dorestat. Circa 650-680. Base AV Tremissis (14mm, 1.13 g, 7h). Frisian imitation of mintmaster Madelinus. DVCSTΛT FIT (S horizontal), degraded diademed bust right / IIΛΔFL•IIIVS•II, latin cross on base; six pellets below. NM 1; cf. Belfort 1804; cf. MEC 1, 494. EF, lightly toned. Highly debased, almost pure silver. Very rare.

From the collection of Dr. Lawrence A. Adams. Ex CNG Inventory 789312 (April 2007); G. W. de Wit Collection (Part I, Künker, 12 March 2007), lot 714; Loon (Coin Investment) 40 (22 November 1992), lot 172.

According to D.J. Henstra (The Evolution of the Money Standard in Medieval Frisia [Gronigen, 2000]), the Merovingians occupied Frisia circa 630, whereupon the mintmasters Madelinus and Rimoaldus struck their respective gold coinages. Around 650, the Frisians reconquered their territories, and continued to strike tremisses based on the Dorestat type of Madelinus, though likely at a mint removed from Dorestat. These imitations were quickly debased, until full silver deniers replaced the tremisses, circa 680. The Merovingians captured Dorestat again circa 689, and reestablished their mint there. It was around this time that the production of the silver deniers based on the Madelinus type ended.