Carolingian. Charles the Bald (840-877) Obol ND (864-877) MS63 S NGC, Chelles mint, Class 2, MEC I-Unl., MG-858, Dep-314 var. (legends; 9 examples studied), Nou-120. 0.74gm. +GRΛTIA DEI REX, Karolus monogram with retrograde S / +KΛLΛ MONΛƧTE, cross pattée. An incredibly rare emission from the monastery of Chelles almost exclusively available in poor-quality preservation--an almost universal fact across the 6 other examples we have been able to locate coming to auction in the last 2 decades. Awarded Choice Mint State status by NGC and further bolstered by an added "star" for its exquisite cabinet tone, we can hardly imagine a nicer specimen becoming available anytime in the near future. Unrecorded in the Fitzwilliam Museum at the time that Grierson and Blackburn's catalog was published, and altogether missing from the Gariel Collection.

HID09801242017

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