✨ Angevin Elegance — Medieval Coin Spotlight ✨
Joanna I of Naples – Denaro” Alone “ (1362–1381)
A remarkable billon denaro from the Third Angevin Period, struck under Queen Joanna I. This example survives in near to Extremely Fine condition, displaying sharp details and an unusually full flan.
🔹 Obverse: + IhOANNA DEI GRATIA — Four fleurs-de-lis in lozenge, surmounted by a label
🔹 Reverse: + IERL ET SICIL REGIN — Cross fleury with pellets in each quarter, in lozenge
🔹 Weight: 0.68 g (notably above the usual 0.45–0.55 g range)
🔹 Diameter: 15 mm
🔹 References: Pannuti-Riccio 4; MEC XIV, 723; MIR 33
🔹 Condition: Near to Extremely Fine
✨ A Heavier-Than-Average Specimen
At 0.68 g, this coin stands out for its unusually high weight — a desirable trait for collectors of Angevin coinage.
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👑 Why “Joanna alone”?
The term “Joanna alone” identifies the phase of her reign when she appeared as the sole sovereign on her coinage.
This period begins after the assassination of her first husband, King Andrew of Hungary, in 1345.
After Andrew’s death — a dramatic event that shook the kingdom and triggered a major political crisis — Joanna became the undisputed ruler of Naples. In the years that followed, especially after 1362, her coins bore only her name and titles, with no reference to any king.
This numismatic isolation symbolized:
•Her independent authority
•Her claim to the throne in her own right
•The political need to assert legitimacy after Andrew’s murder and the subsequent Hungarian challenge
Her coinage became a clear declaration of power: Joanna, by the grace of God, Queen of Jerusalem and Sicily — alone.
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👑 Joanna I of Naples (r. 1343–1382) remains one of medieval Europe’s most captivating rulers: intelligent, resilient, and surrounded by intrigue. Despite invasions, betrayals, and dynastic conflicts, she turned Naples into a hub of culture and diplomacy.
🪙 This denaro is not just a coin — it’s a witness to a queen who ruled in her own name, in a world that rarely allowed women to do so.