Lombard coinage of Benevento

Gisulf II (742-751), in the name of Justinian II: solidus
DNI – – INVSPP; crowned bust in front, holding a globus cruciger	VICTOR [A]GVSTO, cross potent on base; monogram[1] on the left and G on the right; in exergue CONOB
AV at low title; 3,92 g

Grimoald III: tremissis
GRIM- -VALD, crowned bust in front, globus cruciger in right hand	VITOR∇ +PRINCIP, cross potent; on the sides: G R; in exergue C•ONO•B.
Electrum 1,2 g. Struck as prince, 792-806

The Lombard coinage of Benevento, part of the more general Lombard coinage, is the set of coins minted between about 680 and the end of the ninth century in the duchy and principality of Benevento. Solidi and tremisses, both gold coins that imitated those of the Eastern Roman Empire, were first minted; later followed the issuance of coins in the names first of the dukes and then of the Benevento princes. Toward the end of the 8th century alongside the gold coins were minted silver coins, which gradually took the place of the earlier ones, as moreover happened in the rest of Western Europe. Silver became the prevalent coinage metal only from the mid-9th century.

The coins of the Lombard dukes of Benevento have their own characters that distinguish them from those of the Lombards settled in northern Italy (Langobardia Maior): in the north the coinage was directed almost exclusively to tremisses, in Benevento solidi were also minted, and inspiration was drawn from Byzantine models even when in Langobardia Maior, towards the end of the seventh century from the reign of Cunipert, royal titles were inserted on the coins and new types adopted. After the fall of the Lombard kingdom, for about another century, the coins retained their characteristics.

Alongside the coinage of Benevento is also studied that of the principality of Salerno, which originated in about 839 following the fragmentation of the principality of Benevento.