Please note that all of the coin images on this page (and those linked to it) are from one of the best numismatic sale and (reference) sites on all of the WWW, that of the Compagnie Generale de Bourse, http://www.cgb.fr/index.html, which holds the copyright to them.
   Most of the text here is also either my own direct translation or a reworking of the descriptions to be found on their site.
   Permission for my use of this copyrighted material is pending and I ask that anyone visiting this page respect the rights of the CGB as well.
   Obviously, any commercial use of this material without the explicit permission of the CGB will be a direct breach of International Copyright Law and I will do anything I can to see to it that suchlike behavior is dealt with in an appropriate manner.

(Click on image for a larger version)

Silver Denier of King Radulf
(923-936), from Chartres, c. 930-940

OBVERSE: "+ CRATIA D-I REX", ("KING, BY THE GRACE OF GOD"; the legend beginning at 9 o'clock). Around a Carolingian-type monogram of Radulf.
REVERSE: "+ CARTIS CIVITAS" ("CITY OF CHARTRES"), around a cross.

Ref.: Lot VIII/1069. Dia.: 19.5 mm.; Wt.: 1.40g.
http://www.cgb.fr/monnaies/vso/v08/v080134.html
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Silver Denier of King Radulf (923-936), from Chartres, c. 930-940

   The monogram of the obverse was inspired by that of Charles II, "the Bald," and Pierre Crinon has shown that this type of monogram was used by Radulf on coins from the mints of Aschères, Beaugency, Chartres, Châteaudun, Château-Landon, Dreux, Étampes and Orléans (P. Crinon, BSFN, April, 1993, pp. 539-543). These examples were rarely seen in the literature before the discovery of the so-called "Loiret" treasure, from which this one may have come.
   Radulf was the son of Richard "le Justicier," Duke of Burgundy. He married Emma, the sister of Hugh the Great, daughter of Robert of France. When Robert was killed at the battle of Soissons in 923 his son-in-law Radulf was elected king and Charles III "the Simple" was dethroned and disgraced.
   Radulf died in 936, without heirs.

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Anonymous Silver Denier from the Lordship of Saint-Aignan (Berry, circa 1030)

OBVERSE: A prototype of a "Bléso-Chartraine" head: A profile head, facing right, somewhat degenerated (though still readable as a head), with a small cross before the face, a small cross and a group of four besants below(?), and with seven small triangles forming the hair.
REVERSE: Legend "+ SANcTI AINAINO" ("Saint-Aignan"), with an S backwards, around a pointed equilateral cross, with four besants in the interstices.
Diameter: 20 mm. Weight: 0.94g.
Ref.: VIII/1081
http://www.cgb.fr/monnaies/vso/v08/v080136.html
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Anonymous Silver Denier from the Lordship of Saint-Aignan (Berry, circa 1030)

  Saint-Aignan belonged to Theobald "le Tricheur" in the early 10th century, but seems to have been freed from Bléso-Chartraine control in the early 11th century, during the term of the Counts of Chartres and Blois Theobald I (995-1004) or Odo II (1004-1037).
   The first coins from this place are of the type called "Bléso-Chartrain." In the treasure of Bourré (Loir-et-Cher, buried at the end of the 10th or beginning of the 11th c.) there were seven anonymous deniers from Saint-Aignan of this type.
   Godfrey of Donzy (c.1000-1037) was, first, Lord of Gien and of Donzy, before possessing Saint-Aignan. For this reason, we think that the concession of Saint-Aignan dated from the time of Odo II, perhaps after 1019, when Odo, then at the height of his power, became Count of Champagne.

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Silver Deniers of Count Odo I, from Chartres, circa 980-1000

OBVERSE: A head of the "Bléso-Chartraine" type, facing right, the mouth made by three triangular bars, with a globe before the nose and a globe on the left, under the crown.
REVERSE: "+ CARTIS CIVITAS" ("CITY OF CHARTRES") around a cross.
http://www.cgb.fr/monnaies/vso/v07/v070086.html
http://www.cgb.fr/monnaies/vso/v08/v080135.html
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Silver Deniers of Count Odo I, from Chartres,
circa 980-1000

   Legros thought that this type of denier belonged to the time of Count Theobald II (996-1004); however, similar examples have been found in various treasures: from Troyes (buried at the beginning of the 11th c., yielding a single example); from Saint-Hilaire (Essonne, buried between 1040 and 1060, with nine examples); and from Vernou (Vernon, Loir-et-Cher, buried between 1060 and 1108, also with nine examples). An attribution to Count Odo I therefore seems preferable.
   Odo I, Count of Blois and Chartres, succeeded Theobald I "le Tricheur" (957/960-975/978). He seized the county of Dreux, which put him in conflict with Hugh Capet. On his death his son Theobald II became count of Chartres (996-1004), and Odo II, count of Blois (996-1004), then of Chartres (1004-1037). Diameter: 20.5 mm.; Wt.: 1.22g. Ref.: Lot VII/684.

(Click on image to see a larger version.) 

Silver Denier of Odo II, Count of Chartres (1004-1037), c. 1030

OBVERSE: Head of the "Bléso-Chartraine" type, facing right, the mouth made of three triangular bars, a besant before the nose, another on the left, under the crown.
REVERSE: Legend "+CARTIS CIVITAS" ("City of Chartres"), around an equilateral cross.
Diameter: 20 mm.; 1.23g.
Ref.: V/697
http://www.cgb.fr/monnaies/vso/v05/v050088.html
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Silver Denier of Odo II, Count of Chartres (1004-1037), c. 1030

   Daniel Legros believed this type to have been from the era of Theobald II (996-1004), but examples have since been found in several treasures: a single example from that of Troyes, buried at the beginning of the 11th c.; nine from that of Saint-Hilaire (Essonne), buried between 1040 and 1060; nine also from Vernou (Vernon in the Loir-et-Cher), buried between 1060 and 1108. Thus, an attribution to Odo I seems preferable.
   Odo II was the son of Odo I (975/8-996). He was first was heir to the county of Blois (996-1037), then, after the death of his brother Theobald II (996-1004), of the county of Chartres, which reunited the two. He was succeeded by his son, Theobald III.

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Silver Denier of Theobald III, Count of Blois,
from Blois, c.1050-1090

OBVERSE: Head of the "Bléso-Chartraine" type, facing right, made of three bars and a besant, with a besant before the nose.
REVERSE: Legend: "+BEISIS CASTO" ("Castrum of Blois"), around an equilateral cross.
Diameter: 19 mm.;1.09g.
Ref: V/696
http://www.cgb.fr/monnaies/vso/v05/v050087.html
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Silver Denier of Theobald III, Count of Blois,
from Blois, c.1050-1090

   This type of coin has been found in the treasures of Vernou (Vernon), buried between 1060 and 1108, and of Beaugency, buried a century later, circa 1270.
    D. Legros attributed these coins to Theobald III (1037-1089/90) and explained their very long period of usage by the fact that coins were no longer minted at Blois from about 1100.
    The heavy weight (1.8 g.) of this coin indicates a date late in the 11th century Theobald III succeeded Odo II, count of Blois, Chartres, Tours and Champagne, but lost the county of Tours in 1044.

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"Bléso-Chartraine" Silver Denier from Châteaudun
(c. 1150-1180), from the time of Counts Theobald V and Louis (1152-1191-1205)

OBVERSE: A "Bléso-Chartraine" head, facing left, between two small crosses, the eye formed by a besant, with a sort of "spear point" below.
REVERSE: Legend "+ DVNIOSTI-I" (="Château de Dun"), around a cross.
Called type "M" among the Dunnois deniers.
Diameter: 19 mm; Wt: 0.88g.
Ref.: VIII/1106
http://www.cgb.fr/monnaies/vso/v08/v080139.html
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"Bléso-Chartraine" Silver Denier from Châteaudun
(c. 1150-1180), from the time of Counts Theobald V and Louis (1152-1191-1205)

   Daniel Legros (p. 392) believed that this particular type of coin
--with the head facing left-- was copied from those of the Perche, which also had a sort of spear-point neck ("pieu en guise de menton"). For Legros, if they were indeed imitations of Percheron coins, the Dunoise examples would have been struck around 1150-1160.
   Jean Duplessy believed that they were struck between 1160 and 1180 (Monnaies et trésors en pays Dunois, p. 119, pl. XXI/M), basing his dating on the study of the treasure of Saint-Fraimbault-sur-Pisse, which was buried around 1180/1205 and in which this type of coin was not the latest one found.
   In any event, it seems that these left-headed deniers date from after 1140/1150, the burial date of the treasure of Pré-Saint-Évroult, in which they were not found.
   Legros also believed that the Viscounty of Châteaudun was under influence of the counts of Blois and Chartres. But, under Theobald V "le Bon," there were three successive Viscounts at Châteaudun: Hugo IV (1136-1166), Godfrey IV (1166-1183), and Hugo V (1183-1215). The coinage there became "Viscountal" from the time of Godfrey V (1215-1235), in 1218.

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"Bléso-Chartrain" Silver Denier from Châteaudun, from the time of Counts Theobald V and Louis
(1152-1191-1205; probably circa 1170-1200)

OBVERSE: A "Bléso-Chartraine" head, facing right, between two opposing crescents, the eye formed by a besant, the chin by an epsilon in reverse; the hair is indicated by five small inverted triangles.
REVERSE: Legend "+ DVNIC: SAS[T]I" (="Château de Dun"), around an equilateral cross, with an "S" in the second and third interstices.
Châteaudun, type "n", 19 mm. in diameter, 0.98g.
Ref.: VIII/1107 http://www.cgb.fr/monnaies/vso/v08/v080139.html
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"Bléso-Chartrain" Silver Denier from Châteaudun, from the time of Counts Theobald V and Louis
(1152-1191-1205; probably circa 1170-1200)

   Sixteen deniers of this type were found in the treasure of Alençon (Orne, discovered in 1840, containing 1,150 coins of which 328 have been identified, buried circa 1213/5).
   Jean Duplessy believed that this particular type with crescents were the latest coins in the treasure from Saint-Fraimbault-sur-Pisse, which was buried between 1180 and 1205.  
  Examples have also been found in the treasure of Notre-Dame-d'Oé, buried at the end of the 12th century.
   Legros also believed that the Viscounty of Châteaudun was under influence of the counts of Blois and Chartres. But, under Theobald V "le Bon," there were three successive Viscounts at Châteaudun: Hugo IV (1136-1166), Godfrey IV (1166-1183), and Hugo V (1183-1215). The coinage there became "Viscountal" from the time of Godfrey V (1215-1235), in 1218.

(Click on image for a larger version)   
Anonymous Chartrain Silver Denier from the 13th Century,
(circa 1220, Theobald V??)

OBVERSE: Head of the "Bléso-Chartraine" type, facing right, the mouth made of three triangular bars between two small globes, with a globe before the nose.
REVERSE: Legend "+CARTIS.CIVITAS" ("City of Chartres"), around an equilateral cross with a globe in the third interstice.
Dia: 19.5 mm.; Wt: 0.97g.
Ref.: V/748 http://www.cgb.fr/monnaies/vso/v05/v050094.html
(cf. Jean Duplessy, Monnaies et trésors en pays Dunois, p.120 n°103. An example in the collection of the Châteaudun museum?)
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[N.b. My source was even more incomprehensible, self-contradictory and, perhaps, historically inaccurate than usual on this one:]

Anonymous Silver Chartrain Denier from the 13th Century,
(circa 1220, Theobald V??)

   A denier type found at the end of the 12th or beginning of the 13th c. which type D. Legros attributed to Countess Isabelle (1218-1249).    Similar examples have been found in the treasures of Beaugency (Loiret, with more than 600 pieces discovered in 1844, buried around 1270/1).
    This attribution is based on the fact that there was an interruption in coin-making at Chartres after Odo II (1004-1037), coins from the city only reappearing nearly two centuries later.
    Jean Duplessy, in his catalogue of coins in the Musée de Châteaudun dated this type to the second half of the 12th century.    Like the very similar denier from Châteaudun (MONNAIES V/747, with crescents replacing the globes on each side of the head on the obverse and a different legend on the reverse) this one may be attributed to Theobald V, "the Good" (1152-1191).
    The counties of Blois and Chartres were united in the 10th century by Theobald "the Old" (939/41-957/960), then separated again between 996 and 1004 under Theobald of Chartres; then reunited again until the death of Theobald VI in 1218.

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Large, Thick Denier of Count Charles de Valois (1270-1325), before 1319

OBVERSE: Legend: "+ K- COM- CARTIS CIVIS" ("Charles, Count [of the] City of Chartres"), around an equilateral cross in the center.
REVERSE: A stylized head of the "Bléso-Chartraine type," facing right, between two besants, the eye being formed by a rosette of seven besants, the chin by a reclining fleur-de-lis, the hair by six triangles.
Diameter: 18.5 mm., 10 g.
Ref.: IX/941
http://www.cgb.fr/monnaies/vso/v09/
monnaiesgb2d15.html

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Large, Thick Denier of Count Charles de Valois (1270-1325), before 1319

   This is an example of the second of three known types of deniers struck for Charles de Valois, Count of Chartres at Chartres. The first is slightly smaller in diameter (19 mm) (Caron, n° 112, pl. V, n° 15, Legros n° 919); the two others a bit larger (c. 25mm) and are said to be unique. This example is, apparently, only the second one of the type known, the first having been published first in the Revue Numismatique in 1846.
   Some scholars believe that the inconsistant diameter of this coin recalls that of a double denier; but it may be a case of a denier of exactly the type noted by Poey d'Avant as n° 1748. A fourth piéfort of an unpublished type similar to Poey d'Avant's n° 1745 was sold in the Crédit de la Bourse sale of the 26th-28th of April, 1993; the style of that piece is basically very close to that of the present one, notably in the treatment of the letters and of the "T" of "CARTIS", which is bulbous (bouleté) or ringed (annelé).

   Charles de Valois (1270-1325) was the son of Philip III "le Hardi" and Isabelle of Aragon, was the younger brother of Philip IV and father of Philip VI de Valois (1293-1350). He married, first, Margaret of Anjou (+1299), the daughter of Charles II of Naples; then Catherine de Courtenay (+1307), daughter of Philip, titular emperor of Constantinople; and finally Mathilda of Saint-Pol (+1358).
   According to the ordonnance of 1315, Charles sold his minting rights as count of Chartres to his nephew, Philip V in 1319.
   After the death of his father, and then of his brother, the county of Chartres was permanently attached to the crown in 1328.

[Caveat: This page is the ad hoc result of an informal inquiry into the nature of various pilgrims' badges from Chartres which led, because of some of the images found on the latter, to some curiosity about chartrain coinage.
   I know nothing about numismatics. The information on this page was taken from various sites off the WWW and re-worked by me for the immediate purposes at hand.
    Some of what is here makes little sense to me, and nothing contained on this page should be accepted as being true nor used without double checking.]
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