Denier Bracteate - Gero of Schermke

Gero of Schermke served as Bishop of Halberstadt from 1160 to 1177, a tenure marked by ongoing friction with the powerful Saxon duke Henry the Lion, whose territorial ambitions pressed hard against episcopal holdings throughout the region. Bracteates of this period were not merely convenient — the thin single-sided fabric suited the hammering techniques and silver supplies available to smaller ecclesiastical mints operating under political pressure.

The Löbbecke reference places this among a well-documented collection dispersed in the late 19th century, providing a solid provenance anchor for attribution.