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1 Heller 'Elisabeth-Heller' - William II
| Issuer | Hessen, Landgraviate of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1485-1509 |
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| Reference(s) | Schütz II#385, Pr.Alex#139-141 |
| Obverse description | Frontal facing figure of Saint Elisabeth of Thuringia, crowned and nimbed, depicted in schematic medieval style within the central field. The saint is shown with hands raised in an orant or blessing posture, her robes rendered with fine parallel lines suggesting drapery folds. A beaded inner circle surrounds the central device, with a further ring of pellets forming the border. The crude, bold execution is characteristic of late 15th-century hammered Hessian bracteat-influenced small coinage. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | W |
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| Additional information |
William II of Hesse ruled during a period of persistent territorial fragmentation, and small silver hellers like this one were the workhorse of daily exchange in a region where larger denominations rarely reached common hands. The "Elisabeth-Heller" designation almost certainly references the legacy of St. Elisabeth of Thuringia, whose cult was deeply embedded in Hessian civic identity — the Elisabethkirche in Marburg had been drawing pilgrims and economic activity to the region for over two centuries by the time these were struck.
The long production window of 1485–1509 means individual pieces cannot be precisely dated without die study; Probierbuch references Pr.Alex#139–141 suggest at least three distinguishable varieties were recognized early.