The mines of Navarre that were discovered until today, which is Saturday the 13th of May, where MIL CCC XL are found:
Premierement la miniere d'Urrovy.
L'autre si est la mineere dessouz la ville de Miscoz et peut estre loign de celle d'Urrovy la quarte part d'une lieue, et est d'argent et de cuivre, bone mais la quantite ne se peut encores dire.
The other in Araço, pres de Ypuzcoa, in the land of Michiel Yuaignes, esquire, and is of silver, and of lead cest that of 15 quintauls of mineere lance fait, 1 marc d'argent and 5 quintauls of lead.
(Paulo Girardi, AGN, Comptoak, Box. 24, nº 38, I, fol. 1)
Paulo Girardi, master of mines and coinage, arrived in Navarre around the beginning of 1338. His task was to develop the necessary measures to increase the profitability of the kingdom's mines (especially those of Urrobi). Finally, in October 1340, the Florentine master signed an agreement granting him the exploitation of the mines of Navarre.
But Paulo was also an expert in the field of coinage, and around May 1340, he wrote a report on the coinage that the kingdom so needed to the reformer Guillaume le Soterel. This report is one of the only reports and analyses on coinage that can be found in Europe during the Middle Ages, and is therefore one of the most important contributions made by the Navarrese heritage in this field. The report is written in Old French, since both the new royal house of Evreux and the reformers under their command were of that origin.
The reformers Guillaume le Soterel, Jean de Fresnoy and Guillaume de Fourqueux came under the command of Kings Philip and Joan II of Evreux in March 1340. Their task, here too, was to expand and increase the kingdom's tax revenue.
The Navarrese historian Iñigo Mugueta published an excellent work on the monetary policy of this period in 2004. In this work, he analyzed the writings of Paulo Girardi, improving and deepening the various works that had been carried out since Beatrice Leroy first analyzed them in 1972.
While Iñigo's work focuses on the social and economic aspects of Paulo Girardi's report, there are perhaps a couple of sections in the numismatic aspect that need to be deepened and corrected. In addition, although Paulo Girardi left the Kingdom of Navarre in 1343, the content of the report sent to Guillaume le Soterel had a direct influence on the coinage issued by the newly crowned King Charles II from 1351 onwards. In fact, Guillaume le Soterel remained a powerful official at the court of the new King Charles.
The Kingdom of Navarre had no new local coinage since the beginning of the reign of Queen Joan I, the last of which were between 1274 and 1284. From then on, as the French kings became kings of Navarre, the Navarrese sanchetes gave way to the French Tournai coins in the markets, until they disappeared completely. Since the old sanchetes were richer in silver and had the same nominal value as the French Tournai coins, people hoarded them at home, using the Tournai coins.
By the time the new royal house of Evreux was crowned in 1328, the coins used in Navarre were those of the Kingdom of France. Although Navarre was politically separated from the Kingdom of France, the coins used in daily monetary terms were minted in France during previous reigns and brought from there.
Half Tournai coin (obolo) minted in the name of Philip IV of France and I Capet of Navarre (1284-1314) – 0.47 gr, 14.0mm diameter – 3 dinars and 6 grains (270 thousandths)
Found: PHILIPPVS.REX
Ifrenzu: TVRONVS.CIVIS
CLASSICAL NUMISMATIC GROUP, INC., ELECTRONIC AUCTION 246, LOT 540 15.12.2010
Tournai coin minted in the name of Philip IV of France and I Capet of Navarre (1284-1314) – 0.86 gr, 17.9mm diameter – 3 duras and 14 grains of silver (299 thousandths)
Found: PHILIPPVS.REX
Ifrenzu: TVRONVS.CIVIS
INUMIS, MAIL BID SALE 27, LOT 2056 14.10.2014
Double Tournai coin minted in the name of Philip IV of France and I Capet of Navarre (1284-1314) – 1.18 gr, 20.0mm diameter – 4 dinars and 18 grains Silver (399 thousandths)
Found: PHILIPPVS.REX
Ifrenzua: MON DVPLEX REGAL.
COINS.EE OY, AUCTION 54, LOT 308 28.05.2022
Philip III of Evreux, newly crowned King of Navarre coinage tax He received approval to collect at the beginning of his reign. This tax was proposed in 1329 as a subsidy to enable the minting of new Navarrese coins. But later, in 1330, different groups in the kingdom backed down and collected a new subsidy in exchange for not minting new coins (the currency was said to be abundant and healthy).
Tournai gros minted in the name of Philip IV of France and I Capet of Navarre (1284-1314) – 4.06 gr, 25mm diameter – 11 dirhams and 12 grains of silver content (958 thousandths) – 12 dirhams Tournai value, nominal weight 4.219gr
Search: BNDICTV: SIT: NAME: DNI: NRI: DEI: IHV. XPI. Inside: PHILIPPVS•REX
Ifrenzu: TVRONVS.CIVIS
INUMIS, MAIL BID SALE 12, LOT 407 22.10.2010
Three gros (Maille Tierce) minted in the name of Philip IV of France and I Capet of Navarre (1284-1314) – 1.35 gr, 25mm diameter – 11 drachmas and 12 grains of silver content (958 thousandths) – Value around four drachmas of Tournai (slightly more 4 drachmas and 3/8)
Found: BNDITV: SIT: NAME: DHINI. Inside: PHILIPPVS•REX
Ifrenzu: TVRONVS.CIVIS
MÜNZ ZENTRUM RHEINLAND, AUCTION 194, LOT 2031 15.09.2021
However, the monetary situation was not as healthy as the courts had claimed, as there were many reports of counterfeiting and poor acceptance of coins in the following years. Accordingly, around 1340, Paul wrote a report on a new coinage and the reformers declared that the kingdom was ready to accept this new coinage. The kingdom demanded that the new monetary unit would have a silver content of three denarius (250 thousandths) and a weight of 24 seulements per mint mark (0.849gr each denarius). These coinage characteristics were below the French Parisian coinage of the same period (same weight but lower silver content), and although they were the same as those discussed at the beginning of the reigns of Kings Philip and Joan, no new coinage was minted here either.
Gold “massa d'or” minted in the name of Philip IV of France and I Capet of Navarre (1284-1314) – 7.03 gr, 31.5mm diameter – 22 carat gold (916 thousandths), nominal weight 7.094gr – value 25 Tournai seulements
Found: PҺILIPPVS ⁝ DЄI ⁝ GRA ⁝ FRANCҺORVM ⁝ REX
Hell: XP'C ⁝ VINCIT ⁝ XP'C ⁝ RЄGNAT ⁝ XP'C ⁝ IᙏPЄRAT
ROMA NUMISMATICS LIMITED, AUCTION 20, LOT 830 29.10.2020
Girardi's work gives us a unique look at the coinage practices of the time. Consider the following passage:
Et sachiez de certain que tout seigneur, quant il convient a fere monnoie, il la donne fere de trois manneres: soit d'or, et d'argent blanc, et monnoie noire. Et celle d'or d'une maniere, et d'argent blanc de two manners: une de grand valeur, el'autre de petite valeur, et de la petite monnoie doit fere de 3 manners: soit les petites et demis et double. Et au comencement il doibt fere de toutes manieres de ces monnoies dessus dites, tant come il lui plaira, et depuis apres se peut tenir a la quelle que il lui plaira. Et puis que il commence fere sa monnoie a celui temps que il lui plaira, il fera defendre que nul ne prengne monnoie se nest la soue, et toute autre monnoie au billon, et sur celle paine et caetera.
Any ruler could mint three types of coins; gold, white silver (rich in silver content) and black silver (billionaire or poor in silver content). The gold ones would have a single pattern, the silver ones an even pattern and the billon ones three patterns, the unit and its half and double. What Girardi explains to us is a description of the coinage pattern of the Kingdom of France (and also the Kingdom of Navarre) at the end of the 13th century and the beginning of the 14th century. Consequently, it is reflected in the coins of Philip I of Navarre (Philip IV of France) that we have been describing throughout this entry.
During this period, notable innovations were made in French coinage. Since Carolingian times, small silver coins had been used in France and most of Western Europe, weighing around 1.27 grams in weight and losing their silver content over the centuries. Gold coins were not minted. Louis IX (1226-1270) and his successors created large gros coins of pure silver (at that time pure silver reached around 958 thousandths, the so-called “Argent Le Roy”). These coins must have weighed around one gros (3.82 grams) and, as mentioned, since they were made of pure silver, as allowed by the silver refining techniques of the time, they took on the value of the sueldo (twelve dirhams), the next step in the Carolingian system.
They also began minting gold coins, following the example of the Italian republics of the time, especially the Florentine florin, establishing a bimetallic system that had not been used in France for a long time. According to this bimetallic system, each pound of gold was to be worth around ten pounds of silver. Likewise, the gold coins would have the next value step of the Carolingian system, the libra or half-pound (since each pound was worth twenty shillings). The attempt to establish this system of equivalence faced many problems, due to the fluctuations in the value of gold and silver and the development of the Hundred Years' War.
Girardi presented in his report the standard of coinage that was already known to the kingdom and, above all, to its ruler and queen. According to Paolo, when minting the new Navarrese currency, initially all types of coins and in any desired quantity should be minted; later, in a new coinage period, single coin models could be minted, again in any desired quantity. After a considerable period of time, the authorities should have banned all other coins that were not of the kingdom.
A Parisian single coin minted in the name of Philip VI of Valois (1328-1350) of France – 0.74 gr, 15mm diameter – 3 dinars and 14 grains of silver (299 thousandths), nominal weight 0.849 gr – Paolo Girardi coin reference
Found: PHILIPPVS.REX
Ifrenzu: FRANCORVM
MONNAIES D'ANTAN, AUCTION 31, LOT 683 28.05.2022
At the beginning of the reign of Charles II (1349-1387), in 1349, the content of Girardi's writing was still fully valid. Philip VI (1328-1350), the first Valois king of France, began to use to a large extent the same coinage designs as his predecessors. And Charles's first coinage was an aesthetic copy of the French ones.
Tournai coin minted in the name of Philip VI of Valois (1328-1350) of France – 0.92 gr, 19mm diameter – 3 dirhams and 14 grains of silver (299 thousandths) 1.112gr nominal weight
Found: PHILIPPVS.REX
Ifrenzu: TVRONVS.CIVIS
INUMIS, MAIL BID SALE 6, LOS 503 07.11.2008
Tournai gros minted in the name of Philip VI of Valois (1328-1350) of France – 3.57 gr, 27mm diameter – 11 drachmas and 12 grains of silver content (958 thousandths) – value of 12 Tournai drachmas, nominal weight 4.079gr
Search: BNDICTV: SIT: NAME: DNI: NRI: DEI: IHV. XPI. Inside: PHILIPPVS•REX
Ifrenzu: TVRONVS.CIVIS
CGB.FR, INTERNET AUCTION JANUARY 2023, LOT 779596 24.01.2023
Gross gold shield minted in the name of Philip VI of Valois (1328-1350) of France – 4.50 gr, 28.3mm diameter – 23 carat gold content (958 thousandths) – January 1348, nominal weight 4.532gr, value 18 sous and 8 Tournai dinars
Found: PHILIPVS DEI GRA FRANCORVM REX.
Ifrenzu: XP'C. VINCIT. XP'C. REGNAT. XP'C. IMPERAT
INUMIS, MAIL BID SALE 26, LOS 315 14.10.2014
The following passages from Girardi's report are those that have received the most attention from scholars and historians. In these passages, he explains three possible reasons why a ruler might have minted new coins; first, the honorific coinage of the ruler and his power, in which the ruler was not supposed to take any profit. These mintages were intended to establish the prestige of gold, silver, and bullion coins, so that they would be accepted and appreciated everywhere. This type of coinage could not be maintained for long, since the ruler who swore to maintain the mintage of these honorific coins over time would be a slogan. In the case of gold and silver coins, they would be considered strong currencies due to their good metal content.
Si la veult faire pour avoir honneur de Seignourie, je di qu'il doit faire de toute monnoie, soit d'or, d'argent, et d'argent aloie avec cuivre, c'est monnoie noire. Et di que chascune de ces monnoie doit faire si bone, que ne y gaagne ne perde pour entrer en possession du faire monnoie; et aucun Seigneur au commencement doit faire sa monnoie pour tel que elle ait cours par toutes pars, la face si bone que il ne perde. Mais ne la tienne longuement que il nest tenu de la maintainer emsi forte, se il ne l'avoit jure. Et fol est qui tele chose jure.
The second was the coinage to meet the needs of his subjects. Among the subjects there were different socioeconomic classes and each of them had a different model of the monetary unit for their own benefit. First, there were all those with income, the nobles and high clergy, for whose benefit there would be the establishment of a monetary unit based on the legality of 3 denarii (250 thousandths) of silver. Second, merchants and artisans, for whose benefit there would be the establishment of monetary units based on the legality of between 3 and 2 denarii (between 250 and 166.66 thousandths) of silver.
Thirdly, all those who earned their living through their strength, farmers, day laborers and wage earners (today's proletariat), for whose benefit the establishment of monetary units based on the legality of silver of 2 denarius or less (below 166.66 thousandths) would be beneficial. In fact, this passage is of utmost importance and clearly explains which economic class was beneficial to a strong or weak monetary unit.
However, Girardi forgets a couple of factors; the weight of the monetary unit also had its importance, since a monetary unit of greater weight contained more silver compared to one of lesser weight. On the other hand, another factor that was not mentioned in these times was what is now called inflation, where the poorest classes always lost out and still do. Over a period of six or seven years, the profit and loss groups affected by the minted coins were supposed to be monitored, if necessary by balancing them with new coins that were beneficial to the losing groups.
The first manner of the people, sont tous ceuls qui ont rente de sobre, c´est que dessus les despens li demeure de sa rente; especially ceuls qui ont les rentes en deniers. C'este maniere de gens vuroient bien l'une maniere de monnoie, cest monnoie de fors aloy, que sentent de 3 deniers d'aloy en sus L'autre maniere de gens sont tous ceuls qui usent marchanderie, qui voudroient autre maniere of monnoie C'est monnoie moiegne, c'est de 2 deniers d'aloy a 3. However marcheandisse n'est bone si non quant la monnoie est en moien estat. Et a escrire toutes les raisons en cest escript il seroit trop lonc.
L'autre maniere de gens sont tous ceuls qui vivent du travail de leur corps. Ceuls yci voudroient avoir une monnoie menue, cest de 2 deniers d'aloy en jus
The third type of coinage was that which had to be struck during times of war or great expense, a very weak coinage, in which the ruler made great profits, and consequently imposed great losses on those who issued and accepted these coins. These losses were due to the difference between the nominal value of the coin set by the ruler and the intrinsic value of the precious metal it contained. As soon as the time of war or great expense was over, it was considered advisable to collect all the coins struck during these times as quickly as possible.
La quarte monnoie voullent les seigneurs quant ont guerre, et a donc peut faire monnoie tant foible comme il veult pour avoir a despende et a paier a sa gent pour defendre soi et sa gent et sa terre. But a la fin de sa war, doit reçouvrer la dicte monnoie, celle qui se trouvera par le pris de la bone premiere, si ne veult avoir pechie de son peulple.
King Charles II was involved in an endless series of wars during his reign and as a result, he alternated between the second and third types of coinage, always trying to make a huge profit from his coinage.
As we have said, King Charles's early coins were a clear reflection of those of France, but since they contained less precious metals than the French coins and began to enter France as a result of the Normandy wars, the French constable Carlos de la Cerda denounced the King of Navarre as a counterfeiter of currency.
The golden Shield of Navarre, minted in 1352 and 1353 at the Donapaleu mint
Found: KAROLVS:DEI:GRA:NAVARRE:REX
Hell: XPC:VINCIT:XPC:REGNAT:XPC:IMPERAT
French National Library (BNF) specimen – 4.31g and unknown diameter – These specimens must have had a nominal weight of 4.532g; I believe they contained 16 carat gold (666 thousandths) – in 1353, according to Lucas Lefebre, they were worth 15 Carlin seulements
Photo by the National Library of France
In a small passage, Girardi talks about the origin of precious metals; if the ruler had mines in his territories, he had greater freedom and scope for processing, as was the case with the silver mines of Urrobi in Navarre; if there were no mines there, the precious metals had to be brought from abroad and as a result, the processing tax or “seigniorage” had to be reduced, so as not to exhaust the flow of silver brought by the merchants. Especially with gold, which always came from abroad, there was not much room for manoeuvre. Here too, Girardi reports on the processing costs generated by the production of a gold and silver coinage mark, in the Tournai mint of King Louis IX (1226-1270); ten shillings for gold and between two shillings and six shillings and three shillings for silver. This would also be a very interesting passage, and at least I do not have any specific knowledge that could explain this great difference in processing costs between gold and silver.
Seigneury tax This concept appears here in Girardi's writing; this is the first mention of this tax in the coinage history of the Kingdom of Navarre. Until now, the royal house had maintained the quality of the coinage coinage If it collected taxes, from now on, it will start collecting the seigniorage tax during the coinage process. When Girardi talks about the minting of billions of coins, he clearly shows us how tax calculations were done in those times.
When minting bullion coins, it was necessary to know what silver content each coin should contain. Once this was clear, it was easy to know how many marks of minting would be produced from each mark of pure silver. The minting costs of two sous per mark of minting had to be calculated, and to these the “seigniorage” tax that was to be collected per mark of pure silver had to be added. Next, the number of coins that were to be produced from each mark of minting had to be decided, since each coin had its own nominal value. By multiplying the number of marks of minting produced from one mark of pure silver by the number of coins produced from one mark of minting, the number of coins produced from one mark of pure silver and their nominal value could be calculated; from this nominal value, the costs of two sous per mark of minting and the seigniorage tax would be deducted, which would give us the amount of money paid to the merchant who brought the silver.
After the previous summary, Girardi shows us two concrete examples, one of which is a 21-karat gold coin:
Les monnoies de l'or se font a quarati. Et je vous dire que veult dire quarati. Tant est dire l'or quarati, comme l'argent est dire denier d'aloy, et ainsi comme l'en dit a l'argent de 12 deniers d'aloy quant est fin, ainsi di l'en a l'or de 24 quarati quant est fin. Ore si voullez faire monnoie d'or fin ne se pourroit faire plus fine que de 24 quarati, non pour quant que il n'est nul monnoie d'or tant fin que n'en faille aucune chose. Et se vous voullez faire aucune monnoie d'or qui ne fust tant fine, prenez de l'or fin, tele quantie comme vous voudrez, et le remenant meitez d'argent fin ou cuivre fin, et le alleez de quel aloy que vous voudrez , a grant priz or a petit, selon la monnoie que vous voudrez faire. Et povez aleer or, argent et cuivre, ou si voullez d'or et d'argent, ou si voullez d'or et de cuivre. Tout est en votre volente se l'on vous voudrez faire la monnoie coullouree, quar toutefois chascun est bon aloy.
This passage is significant; the legality of gold was measured in carats, where pure gold was 24 carats, just as we still do today. The legality of silver, on the other hand, was measured in alloy money, where pure silver was 12 carats, weight and law of Basque coins As we saw in the section. If you wanted to reduce the gold content of gold coins, you could use pure silver, pure copper or a mixture of the two. Using copper made the coins more colorful (and cheaper) and using silver, they were “sweeter” (and also more expensive); it was also possible to use both. When making twenty-one carat gold coins, 21 ounces of molten gold were taken (each ounce was 30.59 grams) and 3 ounces of copper or silver were added to these. From this alloy, the necessary cospels or coin puddings were made, and after these were minted, the gold coins.
Gold Shield of Navarre, minted in 1352 and 1353 at the Donapaleu mint, 4.52gr 27mm – These coins must have had a nominal weight of 4.532 grams; I believe they contained 16 carats of gold (666 thousandths) – In 1353, according to Lucas Lefebre, they were worth 15 Carlin seulements
Found: KAROLVS:DIE:GRA:NAVARRE:REX
Hell: XPC:VINCIT:XPC:REGNAT:XPC:IMPERAT
Issue from the Javier Bergua collection – Photo by Ricardo Ros
In Girardi's time, a gold mark was said to be worth twelve or thirteen silver marks; the French bimetallic system was already moving away from that dreamy 1/10 ratio. But then he gives a rather controversial explanation; this equivalence between the value of gold and silver was said to have differed from kingdom to kingdom, in each kingdom the value of gold was said to be the same as the value of silver, and silver was said to have derived its value from the coins of the deniers. For all things derived their value and name from the smallest monetary unit, and this monetary unit was said to have always been the denier. This gave character to all other larger units.
Et se vous voullez savoir que vaut un marc d'or fin, tousiours trouverez que un marc d'or fin vaus de 12 a 13 marcs d'argent fin. Toutes ces choses sont selon que ou pais est cher l'or ou l'argent, et selon que vaut l'or vaut l'argent, et l'argent vaut selon la monnoie noire. However, toutes choses prennent valeur et nombre de la monnoie menue. However, que la monnoie menue est commencement de nombre cest un denier, et cestui un est le meneur nombre et tous les autres nombres sont fais par li et par cestui denier petit, si comment que se se face tout l'autre aloy.
Silver Navarrese grosas minted in 1352 and 1353 at the Donapaleu mint – 3.37gr – 7 silver dinars (583 thousandths) – theoretical mintage of 5 sueldos and 4 dinars (244.75/64= 3.8242 gr) – Value of twelve carlin dinars
Found: BENEDICTV:SIT:NOME:DNI:NRI:DEI:I Inside KAROLVS:REX
Ifrentzua:DE NAVARRA
AUREO & CALICÓ SL, AUCTION 256, LOS 1694 03.12.2013
The last example concerns the minting of billons. During the reign of Philip of Evreux (1328-1343) and his wife Joan II (1328-1349), there was a debate about the minting of three alloy coins and 24 seulements. As mentioned, this type of coin was not minted during this reign, and even during the following reign of his son Charles II (1349-1387), the new Carlin coins did not follow the pattern proposed by Girardi. The Parisian coins mentioned were from the north of the French kingdom, known and used in Normandy, but in the south and in Navarre itself, the Tournai coins were the dominant ones, and Charles II took these as a model.
Carlin coin of billon minted in 1352 and 1353 at the Donapaleu mint – 1.00gr, 17mm – 2 dinars and 6 grains of silver (187.5 thousandths) – theoretical mintage of 20 seulements (1.019gr)
Found: KAROLVS:REX
Ifrenzu: DE NAVARRA
MONNAIES D'ANTAN N°12 Lot 777 22.11.2012
Si vous voulez faire monnoie qui soit a 3 deniers d'aloy et que se trouve du marc 24 sous, et coste le marc d'ouvrer et de cuivre 2 sous, et le roy en veult gaagner 5 sous pour marc d'argent fin. I want to know who will do the king of fine silver marc, and I want to know a quel pois seront tailliez ces deniers.
If a ruler wanted to mint a 3-dira billon coin, where 24 shillings of silver were produced per mint mark, if the minting costs for each mint mark were two shillings, and if the king wanted to collect a seigniorage tax of five shillings per pure silver mark, what would be the reward given to the person who brought a pure silver mark to the mint, and what would be the cut or weight of these minted coins?
Nous devons first savoir quans marcs de monnoie menue trairions du marc d'argent fin, et si le voullons savoir devons partir 12 deniers de fin, pour les 3 deniers d'aloy, de quoi devons faire la monnoie menue, quar a partir 12 par 3 en envient 4, donc d'un marc d'argent fin ferons 4 mars de monnoie minue, et un marc de la monnoie minue between 24 sous, donc dirons, 4 fois 24 sous font 4 livres, 16 sous, donc d'un marc d'argent fin avons fait 4 livres, 16 sous. Or veeiz combien nous couste que coustent les 4 marcs d'ouvrer, et cuivre 8 sous; et 5 sous, que le roy en veult gaagner font 13 sous, les quels nous devons traire de 4 livres, 16 sous, demeure 4 livres, 3 sous. A donc le roy peut donner du marc de l'argent fin 4 livres, 3 sous, selon la monnoie ordene dessus.
When making the frames of silver alloy of three dirhams, or 250 thousandths of a silver coin today, we can conclude that each frame of pure silver would yield four frames of silver. Each of these frames of silver would have a silver content of one quarter and a copper content of three quarters. If 24 sueldo coins were made from each frame of silver, that is, 288 dirham coins, these four frames of silver would have produced a total of 1152 coins. If this amount of money were converted into pounds and sueldos (one pound->20 sueldos, one sueldo->12 dirhams) we would have 4 pounds and 16 sueldos. Since the production of each alloy frame cost two sueldos (a total of 4x2sueldos=8 sueldos) and taking into account that the king wanted to collect a seigniorage tax of 5 sueldos, we would have to deduct a total of 13 sueldos from these 4 pounds and 16 sueldos. As a result, every merchant carrying silver would receive a monetary reward of four pounds and three sous for each mark of pure silver he brought to the mint.
And in the weights of that time, how much would each coin of this money weigh? Let us remember that the Navarrese coin weights of that time had the following equivalences: each pound (489.5058gr) was subdivided into two marks (244.75gr), each mark into eight ounces (30.59gr), each ounce into eight gros (3.82gr), each gros into three dinars (1.27gr) and each dinar into 24 granas (0.053gr).
Or we see that the pesera un denier de ceste monnoie, le marc poise 8 ounces et l'once poise 24 deniers de pois. Dirons 8 fois 24 deniers pesans, font 192 deniers pesans, devons partir en 24 sous qui entrent ou marc, qui font 288 deniers, donc partirons 192 deniers pesans, par 288 deniers. Et le denier pesant a 24 grains pesant, devons muletplier 24 fois 192 grains, qui font 4,512 grains a partir en 288, et en vendra 16 grains, et 16 grains font les 2 tiers d'un denier pesant. Et tant doit peser chascun des deniers de la monnoie de 24 sous pour marc.
Since each mark weight was 192 pesos of money, this would give us 4,512 pesos of grains. If this number is divided by the number of 288 coins produced from a mark, Girardi concluded that each coin weighed 16 pesos of grains, that is, 2/3 pesos of money, which is today's 2/3×1.27gr=0.84666gr.
After all these explanations, Girardi finally concluded his report, quickly and directly, as follows: it is advisable to report all these details word of mouth, since not everyone needs to know them, only those who are respected and trusted.
Le demourant de ceste chose voullonz dire de bouche, pour ce que ne sont pas assavoir a toutes gens, fors que a ceuls a qui il vous plaira.
After the bibliography, the full content of Paulo Girardi's report is displayed, in the original old French, for anyone who wishes to view, read and analyze it; well done!
AGN, Comptoak, Box. 24, nº 38, I, fol. 2-4
Bibliography:
Monetary policy in Navarre under the reign of the first Evreux (1328-1349)– Iñigo MUGUETA MORENO– 2004 – link
The coin tax in the kingdom of Navarre (ca. 1243-1355) – Juan Carrasco – 2011 – link
Monetary practice and monetary theory in Europe (12th-15ht Centuries)- PETER SPUFFORD– 1999 – link
Metal currency and credit currency in the Kingdom of Navarre (12th-15th centuries) - JUAN CARRASCO - 1999 - link
Navarre medieval currency – Manual of Numismatics – Miguel IBAÑEZ ARTICA – 2021
Théorie monétaire et extraction minière en Navarre vers 1340 – Beatrice Leroy – 1972 – link
Les émissions monétaires de Charles dit le Mauvais à Évreux (1356-1361) – Jen-Christian Moesgaard – 1999 – link
Numismatic Catalog of Navarre II – Monetarios del Museo de Navarra, Cabinet of Coins and Medals of Paris, National Archaeological Museum, Numismatic Cabinet of Catalonia, Museum of the Casa de la Moneda, American Numismatic Society and “Bergua” Collection - Miguel IBAÑEZ ARTICA - 1995-1996 – link
ARCHITECTURE - Mining. El grand desconocido – Jose ETXEGOIEN – 2013 – link
LA MONEDA EN NAVARRA – MUSEO DE NAVARRA – EXPOSICION DEL 31 DE MAYO AL 25 DE NOV 2001. Miguel Ibáñez Artica – link
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AGN, Comptoak, Box. 24, nº 38, I, fol. 2-4
Tout seigneur qui a use de faire monnoie par aucun temps passe et puis demoure aucun temps que il ne la fait, et puis derechief [veut] torner a faire monnoie, convient que requierge le peulple et ait conseil avecques lui, et ordenent tout ensemble quelle monnoie sera fait, et de quel aloy.
Et se le peulple ne le vouloit consentir de faire la dicte monnoie, le seigneur peut denoier au peulple que il ne rengnent ne use d'autre monnoie que de la seue qui est faite en son roialme. Et se il dient que il vout ne peuent trouver que petit dicelle monnoie, le seigneur leur peut demander:
Que avez vous fait de la monnoie qui a este faite en mon roiaume? Quar la monnoie ne s'est pas gastee, ne issue hors, se par vous n'est, et se vous n'avez monnoie, convient que de ces deux choses soit une: ou vous l'aviez traitte hors du royaume, ou vous l'avez fondue au royaume. Et convient que il respondent a une de ces deux choses, et quelque response que il facent de ces 2 choses ne peut que il ne chicent en la merci du Roy.
Et se par eulx la dicte monnoie a este confirmee au dit roiaume ou de ly, le Roy peut faire monnoie par raison de la neccessite d'icelle au royaume, a le conseil du peuple, telle monnoie qui soit profitable a son commun. Et se vous voulez sauer quelle monnoie sera more profuitable a la comune gent du royaume, regardez tout en tour votre royaume, et regardez es autres royaumes et pais quelle monnoie il font et de quelle valour. And take according to the monnoie que trouverez que il font, vous devez prendre une meannoie meyane, de bon aloy et de droit pois, en maniere que la dicte monnoie soit un petit meilleur que les autres, se faire se peut sans damage du seigneur, en telle maniere que la dicte monnoie ait bon cours par toutes pars. Especially the seigneur qui a petit royaume, pour ceu que quant le seugneur a petite terre, petite quantite de monnoie fills the Royaume; et se le seugneur a grant quantite d'argent et de copper, convient que il en face monnoie et convient que la monnoie soit beux selon l'aloy par quoi la dite monnoie ait leur cours par toutes pars, pour ce que le seugneur guaingne en deux manners: que il guaingne de son metal et de son monneage, et fait grant proufit a son peuple. Et prent grant seignourie sur eulx et l'en deubte le plus, et sachis de certain que la grosse monnoie tous temps est traitte du royaume. Et est la raison, quar la petite monnoie tire et requirt la grosse. Et en royaume ou il cours grosse monnoie, james le royaume n'aura abessement de monnoie.
Et pour ce que la dite monnoie du roy ait bon cours partout, je conseille que le premier an l'on lesse entrer et issir la monnoie par tous les pors et entrees du royaume, a fin que la dite monnoie ait bonne renommee. Et quant le roy vouldra que les diz pors soient clos et que l'on n'en lesse point issir. Et donc di ces choses devant dites pour ce que, se Dieux plest, le roy aura tant argent et cuivre de soy meismes, que il pourra fere monnoie en grant quantite, et pour ceste monnoie aura or par son prix, de quoi il pourra faire monnoie d'or, et encore aura monseigneur le Roy plus d'aventaige et proufit que pour les deffauts que seront par raison de la dite monnoie, le Roy pourra plus tenir sa gent que il ne fait maintenant. Et me semble que quelque monnoie que le Roy face est grant proufit au Roy.
However, if the people of the kingdom want you to make monnoies that do not please you, you will get them in such a way that they will pay and swear that they will not bring them out of the kingdom, nor others for them, nor monnoies nor fondue sanz la volente du Roy, sur telle point comme il vous plaira.
Et sachiez de certain que tout seigneur, quant il convient a fere monnoie, il la donne fere de trois manneres: soit d'or, et d'argent blanc, et monnoie noire. Et celle d'or d'une maniere, et d'argent blanc de two manners: une de grand valeur, el'autre de petite valeur, et de la petite monnoie doit fere de 3 manners: soit les petites et demis et double. Et au comencement il doibt fere de toutes manieres de ces monnoies dessus dites, tant come il lui plaira, et depuis apres se peut tenir a la quelle que il lui plaira. Et puis que il commence fere sa monnoie a celui temps que il lui plaira, il fera defendre que nul ne prengne monnoie se nest la soue, et toute autre monnoie au billon, et sur celle paine et caetera.
Tout Seigneur qui veult commencier a faire monnoie en sa terre, si doit garder quels est la raison qui le meut a faire monnoie. Les raisons pevent estre trois, et sont cestes: Ou il la veult faire pour avoir honneur de seignourie, ou il la veult faire pour la necessite que en ha son peulple, ou il la veult faire pour gaagnier pour la necessite que aura d'argent , si come est par guerre ou par autre neccessite.
Si la veult faire pour avoir honneur de Seignourie, je di qu'il doit faire de toute monnoie, soit d'or, d'argent, et d'argent aloie avec cuivre, c'est monnoie noire. Et di que chascune de ces monnoie doit faire si bone, que ne y gaagne ne perde pour entrer en possession du faire monnoie; et aucun Seigneur au commencement doit faire sa monnoie pour tel que elle ait cours par toutes pars, la face si bone que il ne perde. Mais ne la tienne longuement que il nest tenu de la maintainer emsi forte, se il ne l'avoit jure. Et fol est qui tele chose jure.
Et si la veult faire pour necessite que aye son peulple, si doit garder le temps, et quelle, et de quoi, quar ces 3 choses sont neccessaires a veoir.
Je di que doit garder le temps que veult faire la monnoie, quels sont les gens qui ont mestier de la monnoie, pour quoi pour ce, par tout le monde, sont de 3 manieres gens de quoi chascun vouldroit monnoie a son avantage. Et sont 4 manieres de monnoies. Et je vous dire quels sont les manieres de gens, et quels sont les monnoies. The first manner of the people, sont tous ceuls qui ont rente de sobre, c´est que dessus les despens li demeure de sa rente; especially ceuls qui ont les rentes en deniers. C'este maniere de gens vuroient bien l'une maniere de monnoie, cest monnoie de fors aloy, que sentent de 3 deniers d'aloy en sus L'autre maniere de gens sont tous ceuls qui usent marchanderie, qui voudroient autre maniere of monnoie C'est monnoie moiegne, c'est de 2 deniers d'aloy a 3. However marcheandisse n'est bone si non quant la monnoie est en moien estat. Et a escrire toutes les raisons en cest escript il seroit trop lonc.
L'autre maniere de gens sont tous ceuls qui vivent du travail de leur corps. Ceuls yci voudroient avoir une monnoie menue, cest de 2 deniers d'aloy en jus. However quant il court monnoie qui n'est forte toutes les choses se tournent a conmun marchie, et tousiours se trouve assez de monnoie, et toutes la fible monnoie tire a soi la forte. Et quant la monnoie est fible, chascun peut deviser de sa monnoie a sa volente, et de la forte ne le pourroit faire.
La quarte monnoie voullent les seigneurs quant ont guerre, et a donc peut faire monnoie tant foible comme il veult pour avoir a despende et a paier a sa gent pour defendre soi et sa gent et sa terre. But a la fin de sa war, doit reçouvrer la dicte monnoie, celle qui se trouvera par le pris de la bone premiere, si ne veult avoir pechie de son peulple.
Quanque j'ai dit dessus du temps, et quele monnoie, je di encore que le Seigneur doit garder quele maniere de gens ont plus grant neccessite de monnoie, et selon ce que cognoistra, doit faire monnoie. Et di que seigneur ne doit pas tousiours faire monnoie d'un aloy.
However y celle gens a qui est profitable y celle monnoie se font riches, et les autres prenent domaige. However, I said that as long as the seigneur has run a monnoie for 6 or 7 or 8 years, he must consider that the people of his people are princes plus grant domaige, and that they must see and know if they are willing to pay for it. monnoie ou non Et si ne se tienn pour paiez, doit faire l'autre monnoie, c'est celle qui est profitable a ceuls qui ont prins le plus grant domaige. However faisant sa monnoie de leal aloy et d'egal pois.
Je di que tout seigneur doit garder de quoi fera sa monnoie, et veoir si la de soi meismes or, argent, et cuivre. Et si li fait mestier de avoir li de hors de sa terre. However si la de soi meismes en sa terre il peut meileur ouvrer a sa volente aus temps dessuz diz, et si ne la de soi convendroit aucune fois atendre temps, quans tant que il veist en tour soi autre pais don il se pouist fournir. Et a donc li convendroit gaagner moins pour quoi atreist l'autruy monnoie a la sienne.
Or vous ay compte la sustance du commencement des monnoies en tant comme je voi que est neccessaire a present; quar a compter toutes les choses qui du tout sont neccessaires, je feroie trop grant escript. Or vous compterai la facon et l'aloy et l'ordenance de la monnoie, premierement de la monnoie de l'or.
Si vous voullez faire monnoie d'or, devez regarder comme vous estes garni d'or. However, se vous avez quantite d'or, povez faire quele monnoie d'or vous voudrez, si voullez forte ou fible, et li donner pris raisonnable. Et si avez peu or, conviengne que faciez monnoie de petit pris; et convient que teigniez l'or haut de pris, pour quoi chascun le vous apporte a ouvrer. Et se vous voullez que la terre en ait tousiours abundance et suffisance, faites monnoie d'or de petit pris, et toute l'autre monnoie aussi. Et sachis que coste d'ouvrer un marc d'or 10 sous de tournois petis de l'aloy de Saint Loys.
Si voullez faire monnoie d'argent fin deuez regarder comme vous estez fourni et garni d'argent et si le avez de vous mesmes ou si comment que viegne de hors. Toutefoiz se vous l'avez de vous mesmes pouez faire monnoie de grant pris ou de petit a votre volente et donner li tel pris comme il vous plaira sans greuer votre peuple. Et couste le marc d'ouvrer de 2 sous, 6 deniers jusques a 3 sous de Tours petis de l'aloy de Saint Loys.
Se vous voullez ouvrer monnoie noire, convient que premierement ordenez de quantes manieres voulez faire monnoie, et de quel aloy. And quant vous auraz orderne les monnoies et l'aloy que vous voudrez faire, convient que vous regardez quans marcs dycelle monnoie que vous voudrez faire, vous trerez d'un marc d'argent fin. Et quant vous saurez quans marcs vous feroiz d'un marc d'argent fin, compterez pour chascun marc de monneage 2 sous; et puis verroiz que vous voudrez gaagner du marc d'argent fin, et ajousterer ensemble le monnoiage et le gaaign que vous voudrez faire. Et depuis verrez selon l'aloy que vous auraz orderne, quantes deniers vous voudrez que verse pour marc. And how many deniers you will have for the marc, multiply the value of the marc of black coins, pour tanz de marcs as you will pull the marc of fine silver and see the sum that rises, and how much you will save the sum, you will osterez la somme qui montoit le moneage et le gaaign, et tant comme sera le remenant, tant povez donner du marc d'argent fin. Et apres ce, vous en dire une raison, de 3 manners de monnoies cest d'or, d'argent blanc et noir, pour quoi l'entendrez plus cler:
Les monnoies de l'or se font a quarati. Et je vous dire que veult dire quarati. Tant est dire l'or quarati, comme l'argent est dire denier d'aloy, et ainsi comme l'en dit a l'argent de 12 deniers d'aloy quant est fin, ainsi di l'en a l'or de 24 quarati quant est fin. Ore si voullez faire monnoie d'or fin ne se pourroit faire plus fine que de 24 quarati, non pour quant que il n'est nul monnoie d'or tant fin que n'en faille aucune chose. Et se vous voullez faire aucune monnoie d'or qui ne fust tant fine, prenez de l'or fin, tele quantie comme vous voudrez, et le remenant meitez d'argent fin ou cuivre fin, et le alleez de quel aloy que vous voudrez , a grant priz or a petit, selon la monnoie que vous voudrez faire. Et povez aleer or, argent et cuivre, ou si voullez d'or et d'argent, ou si voullez d'or et de cuivre. Tout est en votre volente se l'on vous voudrez faire la monnoie coullouree, quar toutefois chascun est bon aloy.
Or faisons compte que nous voullons faire monnoie d'or que soit d'alloy a 21 quarati, et le remenant soit d'argent ou cuivre, mais le cuivre si meite comunement qui le fait plus coulloure et coste moins, et l'argent le fait plus douls a l'ouvrer et couste plus, et moult de fois y meit l'en de l'un et de l'autre. However se l'en veult faire la monnoie dite dessus, si comme a nous dit de faire, a 21 quarati, prendrons 21 ounces d'or fin, et le remenant jusques a 24, qui sont 3, que ces 3 seront 3 ounces d 'argent et de cuivre, et merler les avec les les les 21 ounce d'or fin, et aurons 24 ounce entre or et cuivre. Et sera fait l'aloy, et ces 24 ounces d'or seront ainsi a 21 quarati d'aloy, et en ceste maniere se alaie toute monnoie d'or ou d'autre aloy quelque ce soit. Et se vous voullez savoir que vaut un marc d'or fin, tousiours trouverez que un marc d'or fin vaus de 12 a 13 marcs d'argent fin. Toutes ces choses sont selon que ou pais est cher l'or ou l'argent, et selon que vaut l'or vaut l'argent, et l'argent vaut selon la monnoie noire. However, toutes choses prennent valeur et nombre de la monnoie menue. However, que la monnoie menue est commencement de nombre cest un denier, et cestui un est le meneur nombre et tous les autres nombres sont fais par li et par cestui denier petit, si comment que se se face tout l'autre aloy.
La monnoie de l'argent et de cuivre, cest monnoie blanche et noire, se fait a denier d'aloy. However, silver is fine as much as 12 deniers of alloy, and just as gold is not worth more than 24 carats, so silver is not worth more than 12 deniers of alay. Et si voullez faire monnoie petite, gardez l'aloy de quoi vous voullez faire votre monnoie, et aleez la82 avec de la copper, et feroiz en ceste maniere:
Si vous voulez faire monnoie qui soit a 3 deniers d'aloy et que se trouve du marc 24 sous, et coste le marc d'ouvrer et de cuivre 2 sous, et le roy en veult gaagner 5 sous pour marc d'argent fin. I want to know who will do the king of fine silver marc, and I want to know a quel pois seront tailliez ces deniers.
Nous devons first savoir quans marcs de monnoie menue trairions du marc d'argent fin, et si le voullons savoir devons partir 12 deniers de fin, pour les 3 deniers d'aloy, de quoi devons faire la monnoie menue, quar a partir 12 par 3 en envient 4, donc d'un marc d'argent fin ferons 4 mars de monnoie minue, et un marc de la monnoie minue between 24 sous, donc dirons, 4 fois 24 sous font 4 livres, 16 sous, donc d'un marc d'argent fin avons fait 4 livres, 16 sous Or veeiz combien nous couste que coustent les 4 marcs d'ouvrer, et cuivre 8 sous; et 5 sous, que le roy en veult gaagner font 13 sous, les quels nous devons traire de 4 livres, 16 sous, demeure 4 livres, 3 sous. A donc le roy peut donner du marc de l'argent fin 4 livres, 3 sous, selon la monnoie ordene dessus. Or let's see that the pesera un denier de ceste monnoie, le marc poise 8 ounces et l'once poise 24 deniers de pois. Dirons 8 fois 24 deniers pesans, font 192 deniers pesans, devons partir en 24 sous qui entrent ou marc, qui font 288 deniers, donc partirons 192 deniers pesans, par 288 deniers. Et le denier pesant a 24 grains pesant, devons muletplier 24 fois 192 grains, qui font 4,512 grains a partir en 288, et en vendra 16 grains, et 16 grains font les 2 tiers d'un denier pesant. Et tant doit peser chascun des deniers de la monnoie de 24 sous pour marc.
Le demourant de ceste chose voullonz dire de bouche, pour ce que ne sont pas assavoir a toutes gens, fors que a ceuls a qui il vous plaira.