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1 Scherf
| Issuer | Wismar, City of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1570-1599 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Reference(s) | MB#60, Kunzel#172, Gaettens#1538 |
| Obverse description | Crowned municipal arms of Wismar displayed on a shield occupying the central field, with the date appearing above the shield. The design is struck in the crude, irregular style typical of small hammered copper coinage of the late sixteenth century. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
Wismar's copper Scherf issues of the late sixteenth century were struck under the city's own municipal authority during a period when small-denomination copper coinage was chronically undersupplied across the Baltic trading towns. The Hanseatic League's commercial infrastructure ran on silver, leaving petty transactions dependent on whatever local copper the individual cities chose to produce. Wismar filled that gap aggressively.
Kunzel 172 and Gaettens 1538 cross-reference this type within a tightly documented sequence, suggesting die study has been done — collectors working this series should consult Kunzel's die assignments before attributing individual specimens.