CRUSADERS, Cyprus. Richard. King of England, 1189-1199. Æ Tetarteron (17mm, 0.96 g, 1h).

Triton XXV
Lot: 1109.

Early Medieval & Islamic, Bronze, Coin-in-Hand Video

Estimate: $ 1 500

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CRUSADERS, Cyprus. Richard. King of England, 1189-1199. Æ Tetarteron (17mm, 0.96 g, 1h). Crowned facing bust, holding cross-tipped scepter and globus cruciger; [Є to left of scepter]; A to upper left; Q to upper right / Cross on three steps; arms ending in R Є X. Metcalf, Lusignan p. 2; R. Bendall, “A Cypriot Coin of Richard I Lion-heart?” NumCirc CX.2 (April 2002), pp. 62-3; I. and W. Schultze, “A Cypriot Coin of Richard I Lion-heart,” NumCirc CXI.1 (February 2003), pp. 6-7; R. Bendall, “Richard I in Cyprus Again,” NumCirc CXXII.2 (April 2004), pp. 85-6; Metcalf, Crusades –; Schlumberger –; CCS –. Earthen black patina, areas of weakness. Near VF. Rare.

From the Rossini Collection. Ex Roma XIII (23 March 2017), lot 1067.

In April 1191, a fleet bearing English forces and the fiancée of Richard the Lion-heart, Berengeria of Navarre, encountered rough seas off the coast of Cyprus. The stranded English were treated harshly by the rebel Byzantine prince Isaac Comnenus, ruler of Cyprus, who held a reputation for brutality. Richard, following in his own fleet on his way to assist his cousin Guy of Lusignan at Acre, landed at Limassol in May and in short order defeated and captured Isaac. Richard only remained on Cyprus for a few weeks before selling the island to the Knights Templar and continuing on to the Holy Land. In 1192 the Templars in turn sold Cyprus to Guy, now dispossessed of his fief in Palestine, who founded the Lusignan dynasty there. These rare and enigmatic tetartera, with their Byzantine style portrait and cross with the Latin legend REX, were probably struck in Cyprus for Richard during his brief stopover on that island. They have been found in equal numbers on Cyprus and in Syria-Palestine, indicating that they were struck on Cyprus and then accompanied the English on their continuing crusade.

The final winners of all Triton XXV lots will be determined at the live public sale that will be held on 11-12 January 2022. Triton XXV – Session Four – Early Medieval & Islamic Coinage through Large Lots will be held Wednesday afternoon, 12 January 2022 beginning at 2:00 PM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 20% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 22.50% for all others.

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