French archaeologists discover hoard of 15th century coins in Burgundy

During an archaeological evaluation prescribed by the State (DRAC Bourgogne-Franche-Comté) in the center of Dijon, near the Saint Bégnine Abbey, an Inrap team discovered a deposit of thirty-four gold and silver coins.

Box, pendant and coins [Credit: Denis Glicksman, Inrap]

Consisting of a cemetery in the 4th century AD, the town of Saint Bénigne was integrated into the rest of the city after the 7th century and surrounded by the medieval city wall. The coins were found in a stone house dating to the late 15th or early 16th century. The deposit, which was, unfortunately, damaged by construction in the 20th century, was probably buried under the floor of the house, near a wall.

The deposit consists of 34 coins, 10 of which are gold and 24 silver. They were contained in a small bronze box, of which a few remains are preserved. An enameled (green and white) gold pendant accompanied the deposit. Most of the coins were agglomerated together by a crust. Inrap enlisted a specialized laboratory (CREAM Vienne) to detach and clean them.

Selection of silver and gold coins, late 15th century, discovered in Dijon
[Credit: Denis Glicksman, Inrap]

The coins are mostly homogeneous. Chronologically, their year of issue places them in the second half of the 15th century. The oldest is a gold Brabant coin issued between 1432 and 1467. The most recent is a gold coin from pope Innocent VIII, from 1484 to 1492.

Most of them seem to have circulated very little. The majority of these coins were issued outside of Burgundy, in the states of the Saint-Empire and from south to north (Brabant, Duchy of Savoy, Palatinate) and the Italian principalities (Milan, Papal States, Ferrara, Venice, etc.). Only one coin from the Kingdom of France was identified (Louis XI). There is a large proportion of Italian coins (in particular, silver Milanese testons of the Sforza).

A portrait gallery

This deposit is of great numismatic interest. Very few examples of some of these coins are known. They often testify, especially among the Italian princes, to a strong personalization of the iconography, inherited in part from the codes of the Roman Empire.

Late 15th cent. coins are a veritable portrait gallery of European rulers
[Credit: Denis Glicksman, Inrap]

This iconographic “revival” participates in the styles of the Italian Renaissance. These often heavy and high-quality coins show the power of these Lords and their motivation to make reference currencies.

Reverse of silver coin [Credit: Denis Glicksman, Inrap]

Ercole II d’Este, Duke of Ferrara, Philip Ist of Palatinate, Pope Innocent VIII, Louis XI, the Doge Nicolo Tron, Philip the Good, Duc de Bourgogne, etc… This deposit resembles a catalog of the great princes of the late Middle Ages.

A reflection of trade in Burgundy

This set of coins also constitutes a precious testimony of the frequentation of the area at the end of the 15th century. The origins of the coins, the relative richness of the lot –perhaps the savings of a family gradually acquired over fifteen or so years – reflects the social market sphere and the European trading world. The issuing locations cover regions that played a major role in the European trade of the time or were in connection with the Burgundy world (Brabant, Northern Italy, etc.).

The pendant associated with the deposit evokes the private sphere of the couple. It is characteristic of the wedding medallions of the late Middle Ages and is decorated with V and C monograms linked by a golden cord.

Wedding pendant [Credit: Denis Glicksman, Inrap]

Resembling many jewels represented in the portraits of the time, it probably included a suspended bead. More modest than the ornaments displayed in the princely or ducal courts, this monogram shows a transfer of the use of figures from the nobility to a less prestigious fringe of the aristocracy or the wealthy bourgeoisie.

Though the precise circumstances of the deposit remain uncertain, this handful of coins reflects the end of the century in Dijon, with the fall of Charles the Bold, the annexation of the Duchy of Burgundy, and the arrival of the troops of the King of France within the walls of Dijon, while beyond the Alps, the sounds of the Italian Wars could be heard.

Source: National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) [June 01, 2019]