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An important commercial route
A place for the manufacture of gold coins, silver coins or other alloys, the monetary workshop in Sorgues was established as early as the 12th century. More and more often crossed by traders going to the West and North of France, the toll in the city sees a lot of different coins pass through, after collecting them they are melted and minted in local currency.
Minting money: this is the name given to the design of a coin. The manufacturing technique therefore consists in striking a small disc of precious metal between two engraved coins. The workshop was equipped with a wood-fired oven called a “furnace,” with a ventilation system to melt precious metals.
Everyone has their own currency!
It should be noted that at the time, each lord wanted and had his own currency minted, thus creating dozens and dozens of different models. Although the King of France tried to control this practice and required to hold monetary sovereignty, we call it sovereign law.
Without much success, the powerful lords of the various kingdoms will continue to use the mints as they see fit. Thus, in the Comtat Venaissin, Alphonse de Poitiers, the Counts of Toulouse or even the Popes minted their own currencies.
Iconography
The iconography on these coins is very similar to those minted in Tripoli County (in Lebanon), a state founded by Provençal crusaders.
The closure of the workshop
After the death of Count Count Raymond VII in 1249, the Sorgues mint ceases its activity. The arrival of the Papacy did not save him, as it was not of particular interest to him. It was only around 1300 that some Popes returned to this building, in particular Boniface VIII and Clement V. It was definitively transferred from Sorgues to Avignon after it was bought by Clement VI in 1348.
Source: Xavier Vergereau and Etudes Sorguaises
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