Gold coin of Charlemagne
As far as we know, the gold coin with the portrait of Charlemagne is unique . The coin, which shows Charlemagne according to the circling script, was found in 1996 during archaeological excavations in Ingelheim am Rhein , Rhineland-Palatinate .
It weighs 4.18 grams , its diameter is 19.5 mm . Based on the weight of the gold coin, a gold content of approx. 91% can be concluded. There is a scratch on the front of the coin, but overall it was recovered in very good condition. On the reverse, the coin shows a city gate with the inscription "Arelato", which indicates the French city of Arles as the minting location .
The front shows a portrait of a ruler with a laurel wreath and an imperial cloak, the symbols of rulership of the Roman Empire. The title - added: D (ominus) N (oster) KARLUS IMP (erator) AUG (ustus) REX F (rancorum) ET L (angobardum) - suggests the identity of Charlemagne in the figure shown. Charlemagne is dubbed King of the Franks and Lombards and Emperor, which suggests that the coin was minted after Charles' coronation in 800, but before his death in 814.
It cannot be said with certainty whether the coin was used as a means of payment or as a medal, but the intention of the depiction of Charlemagne on the coin seems clear: the image makes the figure with the emperor's title and emperor appear like a Roman emperor, which is why the gold coin in the literature also referred to as " solidus ". The Ingelheim Mint is the only known gold coin that shows Charlemagne as emperor. In the professional world, one would not have expected that one would ever find a gold coinage from this period, since a coin reform by Charlemagne in 794 established a monometallic silver currency . The new imperial denarius made of silver became the only circulation coin.
That is why the gold coin found in Ingelheim am Rhein is also a reason for discussion, as it should not even exist after Charlemagne's monetary reform. In the professional world therefore u. a. the questions raised as to whether the gold coin is a forgery or whether it could have been minted posthumously, i.e. subsequently.
It is also possible that Charlemagne broke with his own monetary reform in order to make use of the exclusive right of the emperors to mint gold coins, because the minting of gold coins was an imperial privilege handed down from antiquity and at the same time a symbol of power. These peculiarities make the coin the most important find so far from the imperial palace Ingelheim .
The coin is now on permanent loan from the State of Rhineland-Palatinate to the Museum near the Imperial Palace in Ingelheim and can be viewed there.