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5 Zlotys Denarius of Boleslaw I the Brave
| Issuer | National Bank of Poland |
|---|---|
| Year | 2013 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round |
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| Reverse description | The reverse presents a faithful, enlarged artistic reproduction of the obverse of a medieval silver denarius of Bolesław I the Brave (Chrobry), rendered in high relief at the centre of the field. The design depicts a stylized cross with interlaced foliate or floral motifs filling the quadrants, typical of early Piast dynasty coinage from the late 10th to early 11th century. The relief work faithfully captures the crude, hand-struck aesthetic of the original hammered medieval coin. The curved legend 'DENAR BOLESŁAWA CHROBREGO' is arranged in two arcs around the central motif, reading across the upper left and lower right portions of the field. Small decorative ornamental devices appear at the terminals of the inscription, framing the composition. |
| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
Bolesław I was the first king of Poland, crowned in 1025 just months before his death, though his rule as duke stretched back to 992. The denarius referenced here was among the earliest Polish coins ever struck — crude, often poorly centered issues produced at a time when the Piast dynasty was actively constructing a monetary economy from scratch, partly to pay the Church and fund military campaigns against the Holy Roman Empire and Kievan Rus simultaneously.
This 2013 commemorative is part of NBP's long-running series resurrecting medieval Polish coin types. The original denarii it references survive in very small numbers, mostly in ecclesiastical hoards.