1 Scherf 'Hohlscherf'

Erfurt's Hohlscherf — a hollow-struck bracteate-type pfennig — emerged from the city's complicated monetary position within the Archbishop of Mainz's territorial authority. By the 1460s, Erfurt was effectively running its own fiscal policy despite formal subordination to Mainz, and these lightweight silver scherfpfennige reflect local mint practice optimized for small retail transactions rather than any archiepiscopal standard. The Hohlscherf designation refers specifically to the single-sided striking technique producing a concave flan — a production method cheaper in silver than full-thickness coinage and widespread across Thuringia.

Leitzmann's attribution remains the foundational reference for this type, compiled from finds concentrated in the Erfurt region itself.