Catalog
Denier - Boleslaus I the Cruel
| Issuer | Kingdom of Bohemia |
|---|---|
| Year | 935-972 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Central field features a long cross with three pellets in each quadrant, forming a symmetrical arrangement of twelve pellets total. The cross is surrounded by a beaded inner circle bordered by a stylized rope or cable pattern. The surrounding legend reads BOLEZLAV DVX in Latin characters, interspersed with star-like ornaments around the periphery. The coin exhibits the characteristic irregular flan and flat relief typical of early medieval Bohemian hammered coinage. |
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| Obverse lettering | BOLEZLAV DVX |
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| Additional information |
Boleslaus I acquired his epithet not from cruelty in battle but from the murder of his brother Wenceslaus in 935 — the same Wenceslaus later canonized and celebrated in the Christmas carol. The assassination secured Boleslaus the Bohemian throne and inaugurated a reign of nearly four decades during which he aggressively expanded Přemyslid territory and, critically, began consolidating enough economic infrastructure to support coinage.
Cach 4 is among the earliest documented Bohemian deniers, placing this piece at the very beginning of organized Czech minting history.