Silver denier of Pippin III
c. 755 ・ silver ・ 8th century ・ Pippin III (the Short)
Pippin III, who set aside the Merovingian dynasty in 751 and opened the Carolingian, made the silver denier the standard currency of the crown in the coinage reform of 754–755. The silver behind it came from Melle (in the present Deux-Sèvres), which produced silver-bearing galena and became the main source of Carolingian mint silver. Where Merovingian minting had scattered among countless local names, the Carolingians tried to pull silver mine and mint back to the crown. This piece was struck at the mint of Lyon.