Miazga B. and Milejski P. 2022. The second hoard from Strzelce Krajeńskie (2014)-preliminary stud... more Miazga B. and Milejski P. 2022. The second hoard from Strzelce Krajeńskie (2014)-preliminary studies and metal analyses of selected coins. Sprawozdania Archeologiczne 74/2, 337-365. The second hoard from Strzelce Krajeńskie was discovered in 2014. The assemblage consists of at least 1948 coins. The article presents the interdisciplinary study of 109 of these coins. Apart from all Prague groschen, wittens, hellers and Jagiellonian pennies also 10 Brandenburg and 70 West Pomeranian pennies were loaned for this project by the museum where the assemblage is housed. Care was taken to select the most statistically representative sample possible. Twenty Vinkenaugen from the Szczecin mint were selected-as well as ten pennies minted in Gryfino, Koszalin, Słupsk, Stargard and Kołobrzeg. Additionally, 48 coins were subjected to a metallographic analysis-18 Prague groschen of Wenceslas IV, two pennies of Vladislaus III, two Mecklenburg and three West Pomeranian wittens, four coins identified as Silesian hellers and 19 West Pomeranian pennies. The results we obtained demonstrate the benefits of collaboration between numismatics and natural sciences. Interdisciplinary research conducted on part of the second hoard from Strzelce Krajeńskie reveals its research potential and value as an archaeological source for the study of monetary history.
The hoard of Prague groschen was discovered by chance at the Krzywa Street in Wodzisław (Jędrzejo... more The hoard of Prague groschen was discovered by chance at the Krzywa Street in Wodzisław (Jędrzejowski County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Poland) in 1949. Three ceramic vessels were found filled with silver and copper coins. The vessels were located close to each other but due to the accidental nature of the find and its theft by the labourers at the construction site, it was not possible to determine whether these containers were part of a single large hoard or three different ones. Among the coins, there were also 39 Prague groschen of Charles IV and Wenceslaus IV, which originally could have created a separate deposit. Some of them – 34 specimens – were published in 1966 by Teofila Opozda in the Wiadomości Numizmatyczne (vol. X, pp. 108–111). Since the time of this brief study, new and much more precise typologies of the issues of both rulers have been developed. In the presented article, we managed to process all the 39 Prague groschen and determine their chronology, along with ...
One of the latest discoveries of late medieval deposits that contain Prague groschen is the coin ... more One of the latest discoveries of late medieval deposits that contain Prague groschen is the coin hoard from Kaunas, which was discovered in the autumn of 2019, at the confluence of the Neris and Nemunas rivers. During the earthworks accompanying the construction of a new sports field, 71 coins – 19 Prague groschen and 52 Lithuanian pence were discovered next to the building of the Lithuanian Basketball House (Lietuvos Krepšinio Namai). The place of finding is close to the border of the historic city, it is located just a few hundred meters from the Kaunas castle. The discovered coins were secured with fabrics that only partially survived. Archaeologists from the Kaunas City Museum believe that it could have been linen material, but due to the poor state of preservation, it is not possible to clearly define which fabrics were wrapped in the found coins. The condition of the discovered coins was not the worst and allowed for the complete identification and for assigning them to specialized catalogues. However, some of them were stuck together, forming clusters of three or four coins. Both coins of the same denominations were joined together, but we can also notice that Prague groschen were glued together with Lithuanian pennies (Fig. 1). Even after preservation, in one case it was not possible to separate the stuck coins. In the analyzed deposit, Prague groschen with titles of two Bohemian kings from the Luxembourg dynasty were identified – one groschen of Charles IV (1346–1378) and 18 groschen of Wenceslas IV (1378–1419). The domination of the coins of the second ruler would indicate that the hoard was hidden quite late, probably in the 1st or 2nd decade of the 15th century.
Czasopismo Zakładu Narodowego im. Ossolińskich, 2021
Among the 15th c., usually anonymous Silesian hellers, the ones most interesting are those from t... more Among the 15th c., usually anonymous Silesian hellers, the ones most interesting are those from the municipal mint in Legnica. In the collection of the Numismatic Department of The National Ossoliński Institute in Wrocław, we hold 37 such coins that can be divided into two main groups. The obverse of the first group, older (struck after 1425), shows the bust of St Peter, turned three-quarters right, with his right hand pointing at the key he holds in his left hand which is sometimes wrapped with a veil and that separates the sacred (the key) from the profane (the hand). The reverse features the Silesian eagle with its head turned right (in heraldic terms), with a concave band across the wings and breast and with a pellet at the centre of the breast, which represents the middle of the die. The second, younger group (struck after 1475), is characterised by the presentation of two crossed keys on the obverse. The reverse remains practically unchanged, when compared to the first group, only the centric dot disappears from the Eagle’s breast. In the Ossolineum collection we identified 22 coins with St Peter, so-called Petershellers. Three of these coins turned out to be counterfeit (nos. 35–37). The second group is represented by 15 specimens. We adjusted all the coins to the new, as yet unpublished, typology of Silesian hellers created by Borys Paszkiewicz. It is worth emphasising, however, that in the Ossolineum collection we registered one variant of a heller with crossed keys that was not registered by Borys Paszkiewicz. It is a variant with an additional dot near the tip of the right key (no. 26). Paying attention to this common coin used mainly for small transactions, we not only obtained a new variant of this coin, but also expanded the source base of the metric data of these hellers and presented the history of the 15th c. Legnica mint.
The hoard from Krzczonów (Opatowiec community, kazimierski district) was discover
in 2002 during... more The hoard from Krzczonów (Opatowiec community, kazimierski district) was discover
in 2002 during construction works on a private property. The entire deposit consists of
5,264 coins – Polish, Bohemian, Silesian, Pomeranian and Hungarian. The article presents 137 coins from the Krzczonów hoard – 128 Prague groschen of Wenceslas IV and nine hellers of Henry I, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels from the Kłodzko county. The typological division of Wenceslaus IV’s Prague groschen is as follows – one specimen of type Hána I, three specimens of type Hána II, four specimens of type Hána IV, four specimens of type Hána V, one specimen widely assigned to type Hána V–VI, three specimens of type Hána VI, one specimen widely assigned to type Hána VI–VII, 20 specimens of type VII, 11 specimens of type Hána VIII, 18 specimens of type Hána IX, seven specimens of type Hána X, one specimen of type Hána XIII, 47 specimens of type Hána XIV, one specimen of type Hána XIV and one specimen of type Hána XVI. Particular attention should be paid to the Hána XVI type coin (Cat. No. 128), which was struck after the death of Wenceslas IV (†1419). So far, from the territory of Poland, we have only known one hoard containing Wenceslas IV’s Prague groschen with immobilised dies. The coin from the Krzonów hoard would be only the third one registered in Poland, and the hoard itself would be the second find with posthumous groschen of Wenceslas IV.
The second group of interesting coins are the hellers of the Kłodzko county, which were struck in the 1480s. On the obverse of these coins we see the letter g, on the sides of which six pointed stars are placed, on the reverse we can see the Bohemian Lion striding heraldically to the right. Borys Paszkiewicz, in his latest book, dates the issues of these coins for years 1485–1489. The issuer of these hellers was Henry I, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels.
This small fragment of this hoard shows its scientific value and research perspectives. The very interesting results of the study of only a few percent of the entire find – inter alia the identification of the posthumous Prague groschen of Wenceslas IV – give high hopes that after the entire deposit has been processed, we will do much more about the monetary circulation in the north-west Lesser Poland.
During archaeological excavation conducted in 2017 between the streets of St. Katarzyna, St. Wit,... more During archaeological excavation conducted in 2017 between the streets of St. Katarzyna, St. Wit, Wit Stwosz and Nowy Targ Square in Wrocław 46 numismatic objects were discovered-37 coins, 4 jetons, 4 objects related to numismatics (silver planchet, a small piece of cast silver and two containers for bracteates-one lid and one bottom, from various containers) and one lead token. Early medieval, late medieval and early modern coins appeared. The most interesting are the thirteenth-century Silesian bracteates of the Ratajski and Kałowice types. During excavation a rare Prague parvus of Wenceslas II was also found. Among all the coins, one of the most interesting is counterfeited West Pomeranian denier of Bogusław I, Duke of Pomerania. All analyzed coins constitute a cumulative find that was found in one of Wrocław's auxiliary markets of medieval origin.
The aim of the article is to present numismatic collections from the Museum in Racibórz which hav... more The aim of the article is to present numismatic collections from the Museum in Racibórz which have been found at municipal sites during supervision and regular archaeological excavations. This will allow us to observe which coins have come to Racibórz (germ. Ratibor) and (Upper) Silesia over the centuries. The analysed coins will be compared with finds obtained during excavations in other cities in Upper Silesia – Gliwice (germ. Gleiwitz) (the market square and St. George’s Church in Czechowice (germ. Schechowitz)) and Bytom (germ. Beuthen) (St. Margaret’s Hill) – and in the main centre in Lower Silesia, Wrocław (germ. Breslau) (Nowy Targ Square and St. Elizabeth’s Church). The study includes 76 coins acquired in the years 1979–2015 on 12 sites located within the borders of the city of Racibórz. This number includes the hoard of 17 Prague groschen of Wenceslas II, 56 single finds and three coin‑like objects. In addition, two metal objects were included in the study which were discovered near the castle in the district of Racibórz – Ostróg. Both objects are difficult to identify, initially defined as a ring eye and a weight (monetary or merchant). The entire collection is dominated by Bohemian coins, including Prague groschen, parvus and white pennies. Silesian coins are the second largest group – three wide bracteates (unfortunately without provenance), a very rare Opava heller of Přemek I (1377–1433) and two groeschels of Ferdinand II (1617–1637). Moreover, two rare pennies of Sigismund III (1587–1632) struck in Poznań mint were found, which usually give way to pennies and ternarius struck in Łobżenica mint, which were not recorded in the collection from Racibórz. Considering all the coins in chronological terms, the dominant coins are late medieval ones – from the second half of the 13th century to the first half of the 15th century. The second concentration of Racibórz finds is from the 18th–20th century. A comparative analysis of coins discovered in Racibórz, Gliwice and Bytom and the hoard of Prague groschen from Błażejowice (germ. Blaschowitz) confirms the hypothesis of Borys Paszkiewicz that it was through Upper Silesia that Bohemian coins reached the territory of present day Poland. As a result, there is a significant number of small Bohemian coins in this area, with a smaller number to be found deeper within Poland.
Skarb groszy praskich i monet z XVII wieku z Osieczowa, powiat bolesławiecki, red. B. Paszkiewicz (Bibliotheca Nummaria Leopoldina 2), 2020
The Osieczów hoard contains also 75 Prague groschen: 59 struck by
Vladislaus II (1471-1516) and 1... more The Osieczów hoard contains also 75 Prague groschen: 59 struck by Vladislaus II (1471-1516) and 16 by Ferdinand I (1526-1564). The coins constitute the oldest and isolated component of the entire find with the chronological span of over 200 years. We cannot be sure whether the discussed assemblage was created at once or gradually (for example by subsequent generations).
Skarb groszy praskich z XIV i XV wieku z Boguszowa (tak zwany skarb wałbrzyski) / A hoard of fourteenth and fifteenth century Prague groschen from Boguszów (the so-called Wałbrzych hoard), 2020
Skarb groszy praskich z XIV i XV wieku z Boguszowa (tak zwany skarb wałbrzyski) / A hoard of fourteenth and fifteenth century Prague groschen from Boguszów (the so-called Wałbrzych hoard), 2020
Skarb groszy praskich z XIV i XV wieku z Boguszowa (tak zwany skarb wałbrzyski) / A hoard of fourteenth and fifteenth century Prague groschen from Boguszów (the so-called Wałbrzych hoard), 2020
The hoard of Prague groschen from Krakowska street in Opole was discovered in 1962. The hoard con... more The hoard of Prague groschen from Krakowska street in Opole was discovered in 1962. The hoard consists of 82 Prague groschen – 3 of John the Blind, 65 of Charles IV and 14 of Wenceslas IV. This find has been published by Janusz Kisielewski in 1970 in the journal of the museum in Opole (“Opolski Rocznik Muzealny”, vol. IV, pp. 197–215). New analysis of this hoard was possible thanks to the more recent typology of the Prague groschen developed by Czech researchers (V. Pinta and J. Hána). The hoard includes one very interesting Prague groschen of John the Blind, which was clipped. All coins are classified as typological varieties – Prague groschen of John the Blind: one specimen of type Castelin 1960: II.10, one specimen of type Castelin 1960: V.28 and one specimen of type Castelin 1960: VI.34; Prague groschen of Charles IV: two specimens of type Pinta I, seven specimens of type Pinta IV and 56 specimens of type Pinta V; Prague groschen of Wenceslas IV: eight specimens of type Hána I, five specimens of type Hána II and one specimen of type Hána III. The hoard was probably hidden in the eighties of the 14th century. The terminus post quem of the analysed hoard is determined by the Prague groschen type Hána III, which have been struck since 1384.
The aim of the article is to show the coin in non-economic terms. We can consider numismatic monu... more The aim of the article is to show the coin in non-economic terms. We can consider numismatic monuments not only from the point of view of monetary economy. It is necessary to reflect on presentations on coins – both images in the field and all inscriptions on both sides of the coin – on their cultural meaning. Important is the symbolic or even magic analysis of coins, which not always were treated only as a mean of payment. Prague groschen, struck for the first time in July 1300 in the mint in Kutná Hora, is ideal for such analysis. Images in the obverse and reverse of these Czech coins were analyzed, as were all inscriptions that are found in the rims on both sides of Prague groschen. In addition, attention was paid to the ore from which this coin was minted and all traditions and customs related to coins. As a result, the image of the coin was obtained as a means of everyday life, which in addition to its economic function also had a symbolic function.
Miazga B. and Milejski P. 2022. The second hoard from Strzelce Krajeńskie (2014)-preliminary stud... more Miazga B. and Milejski P. 2022. The second hoard from Strzelce Krajeńskie (2014)-preliminary studies and metal analyses of selected coins. Sprawozdania Archeologiczne 74/2, 337-365. The second hoard from Strzelce Krajeńskie was discovered in 2014. The assemblage consists of at least 1948 coins. The article presents the interdisciplinary study of 109 of these coins. Apart from all Prague groschen, wittens, hellers and Jagiellonian pennies also 10 Brandenburg and 70 West Pomeranian pennies were loaned for this project by the museum where the assemblage is housed. Care was taken to select the most statistically representative sample possible. Twenty Vinkenaugen from the Szczecin mint were selected-as well as ten pennies minted in Gryfino, Koszalin, Słupsk, Stargard and Kołobrzeg. Additionally, 48 coins were subjected to a metallographic analysis-18 Prague groschen of Wenceslas IV, two pennies of Vladislaus III, two Mecklenburg and three West Pomeranian wittens, four coins identified as Silesian hellers and 19 West Pomeranian pennies. The results we obtained demonstrate the benefits of collaboration between numismatics and natural sciences. Interdisciplinary research conducted on part of the second hoard from Strzelce Krajeńskie reveals its research potential and value as an archaeological source for the study of monetary history.
The hoard of Prague groschen was discovered by chance at the Krzywa Street in Wodzisław (Jędrzejo... more The hoard of Prague groschen was discovered by chance at the Krzywa Street in Wodzisław (Jędrzejowski County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Poland) in 1949. Three ceramic vessels were found filled with silver and copper coins. The vessels were located close to each other but due to the accidental nature of the find and its theft by the labourers at the construction site, it was not possible to determine whether these containers were part of a single large hoard or three different ones. Among the coins, there were also 39 Prague groschen of Charles IV and Wenceslaus IV, which originally could have created a separate deposit. Some of them – 34 specimens – were published in 1966 by Teofila Opozda in the Wiadomości Numizmatyczne (vol. X, pp. 108–111). Since the time of this brief study, new and much more precise typologies of the issues of both rulers have been developed. In the presented article, we managed to process all the 39 Prague groschen and determine their chronology, along with ...
One of the latest discoveries of late medieval deposits that contain Prague groschen is the coin ... more One of the latest discoveries of late medieval deposits that contain Prague groschen is the coin hoard from Kaunas, which was discovered in the autumn of 2019, at the confluence of the Neris and Nemunas rivers. During the earthworks accompanying the construction of a new sports field, 71 coins – 19 Prague groschen and 52 Lithuanian pence were discovered next to the building of the Lithuanian Basketball House (Lietuvos Krepšinio Namai). The place of finding is close to the border of the historic city, it is located just a few hundred meters from the Kaunas castle. The discovered coins were secured with fabrics that only partially survived. Archaeologists from the Kaunas City Museum believe that it could have been linen material, but due to the poor state of preservation, it is not possible to clearly define which fabrics were wrapped in the found coins. The condition of the discovered coins was not the worst and allowed for the complete identification and for assigning them to specialized catalogues. However, some of them were stuck together, forming clusters of three or four coins. Both coins of the same denominations were joined together, but we can also notice that Prague groschen were glued together with Lithuanian pennies (Fig. 1). Even after preservation, in one case it was not possible to separate the stuck coins. In the analyzed deposit, Prague groschen with titles of two Bohemian kings from the Luxembourg dynasty were identified – one groschen of Charles IV (1346–1378) and 18 groschen of Wenceslas IV (1378–1419). The domination of the coins of the second ruler would indicate that the hoard was hidden quite late, probably in the 1st or 2nd decade of the 15th century.
Czasopismo Zakładu Narodowego im. Ossolińskich, 2021
Among the 15th c., usually anonymous Silesian hellers, the ones most interesting are those from t... more Among the 15th c., usually anonymous Silesian hellers, the ones most interesting are those from the municipal mint in Legnica. In the collection of the Numismatic Department of The National Ossoliński Institute in Wrocław, we hold 37 such coins that can be divided into two main groups. The obverse of the first group, older (struck after 1425), shows the bust of St Peter, turned three-quarters right, with his right hand pointing at the key he holds in his left hand which is sometimes wrapped with a veil and that separates the sacred (the key) from the profane (the hand). The reverse features the Silesian eagle with its head turned right (in heraldic terms), with a concave band across the wings and breast and with a pellet at the centre of the breast, which represents the middle of the die. The second, younger group (struck after 1475), is characterised by the presentation of two crossed keys on the obverse. The reverse remains practically unchanged, when compared to the first group, only the centric dot disappears from the Eagle’s breast. In the Ossolineum collection we identified 22 coins with St Peter, so-called Petershellers. Three of these coins turned out to be counterfeit (nos. 35–37). The second group is represented by 15 specimens. We adjusted all the coins to the new, as yet unpublished, typology of Silesian hellers created by Borys Paszkiewicz. It is worth emphasising, however, that in the Ossolineum collection we registered one variant of a heller with crossed keys that was not registered by Borys Paszkiewicz. It is a variant with an additional dot near the tip of the right key (no. 26). Paying attention to this common coin used mainly for small transactions, we not only obtained a new variant of this coin, but also expanded the source base of the metric data of these hellers and presented the history of the 15th c. Legnica mint.
The hoard from Krzczonów (Opatowiec community, kazimierski district) was discover
in 2002 during... more The hoard from Krzczonów (Opatowiec community, kazimierski district) was discover
in 2002 during construction works on a private property. The entire deposit consists of
5,264 coins – Polish, Bohemian, Silesian, Pomeranian and Hungarian. The article presents 137 coins from the Krzczonów hoard – 128 Prague groschen of Wenceslas IV and nine hellers of Henry I, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels from the Kłodzko county. The typological division of Wenceslaus IV’s Prague groschen is as follows – one specimen of type Hána I, three specimens of type Hána II, four specimens of type Hána IV, four specimens of type Hána V, one specimen widely assigned to type Hána V–VI, three specimens of type Hána VI, one specimen widely assigned to type Hána VI–VII, 20 specimens of type VII, 11 specimens of type Hána VIII, 18 specimens of type Hána IX, seven specimens of type Hána X, one specimen of type Hána XIII, 47 specimens of type Hána XIV, one specimen of type Hána XIV and one specimen of type Hána XVI. Particular attention should be paid to the Hána XVI type coin (Cat. No. 128), which was struck after the death of Wenceslas IV (†1419). So far, from the territory of Poland, we have only known one hoard containing Wenceslas IV’s Prague groschen with immobilised dies. The coin from the Krzonów hoard would be only the third one registered in Poland, and the hoard itself would be the second find with posthumous groschen of Wenceslas IV.
The second group of interesting coins are the hellers of the Kłodzko county, which were struck in the 1480s. On the obverse of these coins we see the letter g, on the sides of which six pointed stars are placed, on the reverse we can see the Bohemian Lion striding heraldically to the right. Borys Paszkiewicz, in his latest book, dates the issues of these coins for years 1485–1489. The issuer of these hellers was Henry I, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels.
This small fragment of this hoard shows its scientific value and research perspectives. The very interesting results of the study of only a few percent of the entire find – inter alia the identification of the posthumous Prague groschen of Wenceslas IV – give high hopes that after the entire deposit has been processed, we will do much more about the monetary circulation in the north-west Lesser Poland.
During archaeological excavation conducted in 2017 between the streets of St. Katarzyna, St. Wit,... more During archaeological excavation conducted in 2017 between the streets of St. Katarzyna, St. Wit, Wit Stwosz and Nowy Targ Square in Wrocław 46 numismatic objects were discovered-37 coins, 4 jetons, 4 objects related to numismatics (silver planchet, a small piece of cast silver and two containers for bracteates-one lid and one bottom, from various containers) and one lead token. Early medieval, late medieval and early modern coins appeared. The most interesting are the thirteenth-century Silesian bracteates of the Ratajski and Kałowice types. During excavation a rare Prague parvus of Wenceslas II was also found. Among all the coins, one of the most interesting is counterfeited West Pomeranian denier of Bogusław I, Duke of Pomerania. All analyzed coins constitute a cumulative find that was found in one of Wrocław's auxiliary markets of medieval origin.
The aim of the article is to present numismatic collections from the Museum in Racibórz which hav... more The aim of the article is to present numismatic collections from the Museum in Racibórz which have been found at municipal sites during supervision and regular archaeological excavations. This will allow us to observe which coins have come to Racibórz (germ. Ratibor) and (Upper) Silesia over the centuries. The analysed coins will be compared with finds obtained during excavations in other cities in Upper Silesia – Gliwice (germ. Gleiwitz) (the market square and St. George’s Church in Czechowice (germ. Schechowitz)) and Bytom (germ. Beuthen) (St. Margaret’s Hill) – and in the main centre in Lower Silesia, Wrocław (germ. Breslau) (Nowy Targ Square and St. Elizabeth’s Church). The study includes 76 coins acquired in the years 1979–2015 on 12 sites located within the borders of the city of Racibórz. This number includes the hoard of 17 Prague groschen of Wenceslas II, 56 single finds and three coin‑like objects. In addition, two metal objects were included in the study which were discovered near the castle in the district of Racibórz – Ostróg. Both objects are difficult to identify, initially defined as a ring eye and a weight (monetary or merchant). The entire collection is dominated by Bohemian coins, including Prague groschen, parvus and white pennies. Silesian coins are the second largest group – three wide bracteates (unfortunately without provenance), a very rare Opava heller of Přemek I (1377–1433) and two groeschels of Ferdinand II (1617–1637). Moreover, two rare pennies of Sigismund III (1587–1632) struck in Poznań mint were found, which usually give way to pennies and ternarius struck in Łobżenica mint, which were not recorded in the collection from Racibórz. Considering all the coins in chronological terms, the dominant coins are late medieval ones – from the second half of the 13th century to the first half of the 15th century. The second concentration of Racibórz finds is from the 18th–20th century. A comparative analysis of coins discovered in Racibórz, Gliwice and Bytom and the hoard of Prague groschen from Błażejowice (germ. Blaschowitz) confirms the hypothesis of Borys Paszkiewicz that it was through Upper Silesia that Bohemian coins reached the territory of present day Poland. As a result, there is a significant number of small Bohemian coins in this area, with a smaller number to be found deeper within Poland.
Skarb groszy praskich i monet z XVII wieku z Osieczowa, powiat bolesławiecki, red. B. Paszkiewicz (Bibliotheca Nummaria Leopoldina 2), 2020
The Osieczów hoard contains also 75 Prague groschen: 59 struck by
Vladislaus II (1471-1516) and 1... more The Osieczów hoard contains also 75 Prague groschen: 59 struck by Vladislaus II (1471-1516) and 16 by Ferdinand I (1526-1564). The coins constitute the oldest and isolated component of the entire find with the chronological span of over 200 years. We cannot be sure whether the discussed assemblage was created at once or gradually (for example by subsequent generations).
Skarb groszy praskich z XIV i XV wieku z Boguszowa (tak zwany skarb wałbrzyski) / A hoard of fourteenth and fifteenth century Prague groschen from Boguszów (the so-called Wałbrzych hoard), 2020
Skarb groszy praskich z XIV i XV wieku z Boguszowa (tak zwany skarb wałbrzyski) / A hoard of fourteenth and fifteenth century Prague groschen from Boguszów (the so-called Wałbrzych hoard), 2020
Skarb groszy praskich z XIV i XV wieku z Boguszowa (tak zwany skarb wałbrzyski) / A hoard of fourteenth and fifteenth century Prague groschen from Boguszów (the so-called Wałbrzych hoard), 2020
The hoard of Prague groschen from Krakowska street in Opole was discovered in 1962. The hoard con... more The hoard of Prague groschen from Krakowska street in Opole was discovered in 1962. The hoard consists of 82 Prague groschen – 3 of John the Blind, 65 of Charles IV and 14 of Wenceslas IV. This find has been published by Janusz Kisielewski in 1970 in the journal of the museum in Opole (“Opolski Rocznik Muzealny”, vol. IV, pp. 197–215). New analysis of this hoard was possible thanks to the more recent typology of the Prague groschen developed by Czech researchers (V. Pinta and J. Hána). The hoard includes one very interesting Prague groschen of John the Blind, which was clipped. All coins are classified as typological varieties – Prague groschen of John the Blind: one specimen of type Castelin 1960: II.10, one specimen of type Castelin 1960: V.28 and one specimen of type Castelin 1960: VI.34; Prague groschen of Charles IV: two specimens of type Pinta I, seven specimens of type Pinta IV and 56 specimens of type Pinta V; Prague groschen of Wenceslas IV: eight specimens of type Hána I, five specimens of type Hána II and one specimen of type Hána III. The hoard was probably hidden in the eighties of the 14th century. The terminus post quem of the analysed hoard is determined by the Prague groschen type Hána III, which have been struck since 1384.
The aim of the article is to show the coin in non-economic terms. We can consider numismatic monu... more The aim of the article is to show the coin in non-economic terms. We can consider numismatic monuments not only from the point of view of monetary economy. It is necessary to reflect on presentations on coins – both images in the field and all inscriptions on both sides of the coin – on their cultural meaning. Important is the symbolic or even magic analysis of coins, which not always were treated only as a mean of payment. Prague groschen, struck for the first time in July 1300 in the mint in Kutná Hora, is ideal for such analysis. Images in the obverse and reverse of these Czech coins were analyzed, as were all inscriptions that are found in the rims on both sides of Prague groschen. In addition, attention was paid to the ore from which this coin was minted and all traditions and customs related to coins. As a result, the image of the coin was obtained as a means of everyday life, which in addition to its economic function also had a symbolic function.
The hoard of Prague groschen was discovered in the region of B. Prusa, 3 Maja streets and Oleśnic... more The hoard of Prague groschen was discovered in the region of B. Prusa, 3 Maja streets and Oleśnica market square, next to a heating pipeline construction site. This stage of archaeological research resulted in finding a valuable hoard of medieval coins. It was discovered on the floor of the lowest layer searched, on July 27, 2010 on site no. 10. The hoard has been uncovered after the western chunk of a soil and rubble knoll in the central part of the 3 Maja 63–65 estate backyard has been removed by an excavator. The knoll has been created in the 1970s during the construction of houses in this neighbourhood. The coins have been spotted after a layer of soil, debris and rubbish has been partially moved onto a pile. They were secured immediately and any further work in the area of site no. 10 was carried out by hand. The knoll where the hoard was found and the pile to which the coin-containing layer was moved were being explored simultaneously, both manually and using a metal detector, so as not to overlook any possible finds. At first, no traces of any container in which the hoard could have been deposited were found. It was the next day, during the exploration of coins lying in situ, when fragments of a wooden chest were noticed. The box turned out to be 42 cm long, 20 cm wide and most probably over 7–8 cm high. The bottom and sides were approximately 2 cm thick. It was hidden in a cavity dug out specifically for that purpose, outside any building, but within the town walls. Originally it was hard to determine the amount of coins and the general composition of the hoard, as some pieces were stuck together and formed clumps of two or three coins. The initial restoration of the gathered objects revealed that there were 420 coins and their total weight was approximately 1,204 g after tentative cleaning. The first assumption was that it may be a hoard of Prague groschen of Charles I (1346–1378) and Wenceslas IV (1378-1419). A later analysis confirmed this assumption. Due to the reigning period of the two rulers the hoard has been dated back to the second half of the fourteenth and the beginning of the fifteenth century. The detailed results of the research conducted on those Prague groschen are the main subject of this work.
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in 2002 during construction works on a private property. The entire deposit consists of
5,264 coins – Polish, Bohemian, Silesian, Pomeranian and Hungarian. The article presents 137 coins from the Krzczonów hoard – 128 Prague groschen of Wenceslas IV and nine hellers of Henry I, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels from the Kłodzko county. The typological division of Wenceslaus IV’s Prague groschen is as follows – one specimen of type Hána I, three specimens of type Hána II, four specimens of type Hána IV, four specimens of type Hána V, one specimen widely assigned to type Hána V–VI, three specimens of type Hána VI, one specimen widely assigned to type Hána VI–VII, 20 specimens of type VII, 11 specimens of type Hána VIII, 18 specimens of type Hána IX, seven specimens of type Hána X, one specimen of type Hána XIII, 47 specimens of type Hána XIV, one specimen of type Hána XIV and one specimen of type Hána XVI. Particular attention should be paid to the Hána XVI type coin (Cat. No. 128), which was struck after the death of Wenceslas IV (†1419). So far, from the territory of Poland, we have only known one hoard containing Wenceslas IV’s Prague groschen with immobilised dies. The coin from the Krzonów hoard would be only the third one registered in Poland, and the hoard itself would be the second find with posthumous groschen of Wenceslas IV.
The second group of interesting coins are the hellers of the Kłodzko county, which were struck in the 1480s. On the obverse of these coins we see the letter g, on the sides of which six pointed stars are placed, on the reverse we can see the Bohemian Lion striding heraldically to the right. Borys Paszkiewicz, in his latest book, dates the issues of these coins for years 1485–1489. The issuer of these hellers was Henry I, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels.
This small fragment of this hoard shows its scientific value and research perspectives. The very interesting results of the study of only a few percent of the entire find – inter alia the identification of the posthumous Prague groschen of Wenceslas IV – give high hopes that after the entire deposit has been processed, we will do much more about the monetary circulation in the north-west Lesser Poland.
The entire collection is dominated by Bohemian coins, including Prague groschen, parvus and white pennies. Silesian coins are the second largest group – three wide bracteates (unfortunately without provenance), a very rare Opava heller of Přemek I (1377–1433) and two groeschels of Ferdinand II (1617–1637). Moreover, two rare pennies of Sigismund III (1587–1632) struck in Poznań mint were found, which usually give way to pennies and ternarius struck in Łobżenica mint, which were not recorded in the collection from Racibórz. Considering all the coins in chronological terms, the dominant coins are late medieval ones – from the second half of the 13th century to the first half of the 15th century. The second concentration of Racibórz finds is from the 18th–20th century.
A comparative analysis of coins discovered in Racibórz, Gliwice and Bytom and the hoard of Prague groschen from Błażejowice (germ. Blaschowitz) confirms the hypothesis of Borys Paszkiewicz that it was through Upper Silesia that Bohemian coins reached the territory of present day Poland. As a result, there is a significant number of small Bohemian coins in this area, with a smaller number to be found deeper within Poland.
Vladislaus II (1471-1516) and 16 by Ferdinand I (1526-1564). The coins
constitute the oldest and isolated component of the entire find with
the chronological span of over 200 years. We cannot be sure whether
the discussed assemblage was created at once or gradually (for example by subsequent generations).
in 2002 during construction works on a private property. The entire deposit consists of
5,264 coins – Polish, Bohemian, Silesian, Pomeranian and Hungarian. The article presents 137 coins from the Krzczonów hoard – 128 Prague groschen of Wenceslas IV and nine hellers of Henry I, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels from the Kłodzko county. The typological division of Wenceslaus IV’s Prague groschen is as follows – one specimen of type Hána I, three specimens of type Hána II, four specimens of type Hána IV, four specimens of type Hána V, one specimen widely assigned to type Hána V–VI, three specimens of type Hána VI, one specimen widely assigned to type Hána VI–VII, 20 specimens of type VII, 11 specimens of type Hána VIII, 18 specimens of type Hána IX, seven specimens of type Hána X, one specimen of type Hána XIII, 47 specimens of type Hána XIV, one specimen of type Hána XIV and one specimen of type Hána XVI. Particular attention should be paid to the Hána XVI type coin (Cat. No. 128), which was struck after the death of Wenceslas IV (†1419). So far, from the territory of Poland, we have only known one hoard containing Wenceslas IV’s Prague groschen with immobilised dies. The coin from the Krzonów hoard would be only the third one registered in Poland, and the hoard itself would be the second find with posthumous groschen of Wenceslas IV.
The second group of interesting coins are the hellers of the Kłodzko county, which were struck in the 1480s. On the obverse of these coins we see the letter g, on the sides of which six pointed stars are placed, on the reverse we can see the Bohemian Lion striding heraldically to the right. Borys Paszkiewicz, in his latest book, dates the issues of these coins for years 1485–1489. The issuer of these hellers was Henry I, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels.
This small fragment of this hoard shows its scientific value and research perspectives. The very interesting results of the study of only a few percent of the entire find – inter alia the identification of the posthumous Prague groschen of Wenceslas IV – give high hopes that after the entire deposit has been processed, we will do much more about the monetary circulation in the north-west Lesser Poland.
The entire collection is dominated by Bohemian coins, including Prague groschen, parvus and white pennies. Silesian coins are the second largest group – three wide bracteates (unfortunately without provenance), a very rare Opava heller of Přemek I (1377–1433) and two groeschels of Ferdinand II (1617–1637). Moreover, two rare pennies of Sigismund III (1587–1632) struck in Poznań mint were found, which usually give way to pennies and ternarius struck in Łobżenica mint, which were not recorded in the collection from Racibórz. Considering all the coins in chronological terms, the dominant coins are late medieval ones – from the second half of the 13th century to the first half of the 15th century. The second concentration of Racibórz finds is from the 18th–20th century.
A comparative analysis of coins discovered in Racibórz, Gliwice and Bytom and the hoard of Prague groschen from Błażejowice (germ. Blaschowitz) confirms the hypothesis of Borys Paszkiewicz that it was through Upper Silesia that Bohemian coins reached the territory of present day Poland. As a result, there is a significant number of small Bohemian coins in this area, with a smaller number to be found deeper within Poland.
Vladislaus II (1471-1516) and 16 by Ferdinand I (1526-1564). The coins
constitute the oldest and isolated component of the entire find with
the chronological span of over 200 years. We cannot be sure whether
the discussed assemblage was created at once or gradually (for example by subsequent generations).