How medieval people actually used coins, is still a largely unanswered question. In a new book Thibault Cardon sets out to study how coins circulated in economy and society, focusing on the North of France, combining numismatical, historical and economic-anthropological approaches.
The book is published by Brepols.
T. Cardon, Pour une approche anthropologique des usages monétaires médiévaux (France du Nord, XIIe-XVIe siècle) (Turnhout 2021).
386 p., 220 x 280 mm, 2021
ISBN: 978-2-38185-021-4
Languages: French
Here is a summary of how money was used in the Middle Ages:
Early Middle Ages (5th-10th centuries) - Barter system and commodities like grains were commonly used for trade instead of formal money. Some coins from Roman times stayed in circulation.
High Middle Ages (11th-13th centuries) - Rise of silver pennies minted by nobility and feudal lords to pay soldiers and laborers. Pennies were cut into halves and quarters for small transactions.
Late Middle Ages (14th-15th centuries) - Growth of banking and trade led to wider use of money. Gold coins like florins and ducats gained prominence alongside silver coins.
Local Provincial currencies - Feudal territories often had their own regional coins and mints in addition to king's money. Caused some confusion.
Depreciation of coins - Shaving metal off coins and debasing them with cheaper metals caused coins to decrease in value over time.
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Overall, simpler barter and commodities gave way to more complex monetary systems backed by precious metals in the Middle Ages. But coins had inconsistent values and were not standardized across kingdoms until later periods. Let me know if you need any clarification or have additional questions!