Analogues of some discoidal stelae with the coins of the Middle Ages.
This analogy is striking in many cases and is not very surprising, since the same shape of the discoidal stele, in a lapidary, could suggest the imitation of current coins. The division of the field into four equal quarters by means of a cross whose ends are decorated with stylized fleurs-de-lis, the inscriptions in exergue, certain attributes such as the bezantes, the kicked crosses (patts) that appear on the field, as well as such as fleurs-de-lis of various shapes, some religious symbols, all of which can be found at the same time on discoidal stelae and on medieval coins. I point out, for example, in Lenormant's manual (Monnaies et M dailles) the following types: page 211 et seq., Merovingian and Carolingian coins with the kicked cross; page 227, figure 111, sterling of Edward I, King of England, carrying a cross with outstretched arms, cantoned of bezantes. I have found this type in Basque stelae. There is nothing extraordinary about this copy of an English coin, since Laburdi came under Plantagenet domination at this time; page 228, figure 112, the "royal de oro de San Luis" undoubtedly inspired the Basque lapidaries when dividing the field of the stela into four cantons with a cross with flowery ends. The "Franc on King John's horse" (page 230, figure 114) recalls certain stelae whose field is decorated with four semicircles. I will say the same of the "shield with crown" of Louis XI (page 231). Sometimes the fleurs-de-lis that appear on the discoidal stelae are placed on a shield that frames them. Some French pieces present this device (see Lenormant, page 283 "teston" of Louis XII). Also consult the Manuel de Numismatique française by A. Blanchet and A. Dieudonn, volume II, from page 225 (Louis XI) to page 308 (Louis XII). Leafing through them, very suggestive comparisons will be made. On page 310, for example, Louis XII's "Oros de Roi" presents, on the reverse, a field traversed by a cross with equal arms, finished by four fleurs-de-lys; the engraver practiced two obviously parallel in the four arms of the cross and this arrangement is found exactly the same in a certain number of Bajo Navarra discoidal ones. Another no less interesting comparison that supports all of the above: page 63, the wise authors of the aforementioned treatise on numismatics offer a table of symbols and signs placed either at the head, at the end or the course of the legend, or as broadcast "differents". Some of these signs are also found in the inscriptions placed in exergue in the discoidal ones. I give below the most common ones: the small kicked cross, the five-pointed star, the "molette" and the world. The latter is also found in the field of discoids. It may have a religious significance.
See Manuel de Numismatique fran aise by A. Blanchet and A. Dieudonn, volume II; Monnaies et M dailles de Lenormant.