Catalog
1 Scherf
| Issuer | Erfurt, City of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1498 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Obverse description | A five-spoked wheel displayed within a beaded or plain inner circle, the spokes radiating from a central boss to the rim in a symmetric arrangement. The last two digits of the date (98) appear above the wheel in the upper field. The design is struck on an irregularly shaped flan characteristic of late medieval hammered coinage. |
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| Mintage | 1498 - (14)98 |
| Additional information |
Erfurt's Scherf issues of the late fifteenth century were struck under the city's complex overlapping jurisdictions — the Archbishop of Mainz held nominal authority, but Erfurt maintained aggressive de facto autonomy over its coinage through much of this period. The Scherf itself was among the smallest denominations in circulation, a coin so light it was routinely clipped and debased without much consequence to anyone minding the difference.
At 0.14 g, losses from handling alone were economically meaningful relative to face value.