Coining it? Carolingian rulers and the Frankish coinage, ca. 750–900

Abstract

AbstractThe story of the Frankish coinage is generally told from the Carolingian rulers' perspective as the rise and fall of royal control over minting. Increased coin finds have added nuance to this story by giving us new understanding of coin circulation and coin use. Recent studies confirm just how effectively Charlemagne and Louis the Pious controlled the Frankish coinage, which provided them with both political and economic benefits. Between 792/793 and 840, trade accelerated, and the Carolingian empire became increasingly monetised—though the use and availability of coins varied between regions. Tight royal control loosened after 840, when royal coinages became far more variable in quality. Around 880, the royal monopoly on striking coins was broken. From the perspective of traders and other coin users, having access to an acceptable means of exchange was more important than the availability of specifically royal coins. Trade could and did thrive in the world of regional coin circulation before 750 and after 840. Charlemagne and Louis the Pious's close royal control of the coinage, and the empire‐wide circulation of coins in 792/793–840, stand out as exceptional when set against the early medieval norm of regional coin production and circulation in Francia. The article is accompanied by an appendix introducing key resources for Carolingian numismatics.