1 Prague Groschen Counterstamped

Historical Context: Issued by the Imperial City of Aichach in 1400, this counterstamped Prague Groschen exemplifies the monetary complexities of late medieval Central Europe. During the turbulent reign of King Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia, widespread currency debasement led regional authorities, like Aichach, to revalidate foreign coinage. The counterstamp asserted local monetary sovereignty, re-tariffing the widely accepted Prague Groschen and ensuring its integration into the city's economy amidst a fragmented monetary landscape.

Artistry: The underlying Prague Groschen typically features the Bohemian lion rampant and the Crown of Bohemia or a king's bust, characteristic of the Late Gothic style. The engraver for both the original coin and Aichach's counterstamp remains unknown. The counterstamp itself, a small, distinct device representing the city's heraldry or initial, was applied with functional rather than artistic intent, often in a simplified, crude manner reflecting its purpose as a mark of validation.

Technical/Grading: Key grading points focus on the clarity and completeness of Aichach's counterstamp, which should be fully impressed without obscuring critical details of the host coin. The underlying Prague Groschen's high points include the lion's mane and crown, and the king's facial features or crown details. The technical strike quality varies; while original groschen could be broad, the counterstamp's application often results in a flattened, sometimes off-center area, affecting the overall preservation of the 2.59 gram silver piece.