Latin Empire Denier

The Latin Empire denier features a Latin cross on its obverse, a direct swipe at the Byzantine imperial portraits it replaced after the 1204 sack of Constantinople.

This silver coin, weighing around 0.9 grams, was struck in Thessalonica or possibly other temporary mints set up by Crusader lords. Its design borrowed from both Western deniers and local Byzantine styles, with legends in Latin script that awkwardly mimic Greek ones. We've got specimens showing a cross potent or a crude bust, but variations depend on the ruler—Baldwin I or his successors.

Mintage figures? Lost to time, like so many medieval records. What we know is that these coins circulated in a fractured empire, funding wars against resurgent Byzantines.

Provenance can be tricky; fakes pop up, especially from the 19th century. If you're handling one, check for the telltale wear on the cross arms.