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Denier Bracteate - Mieszko III the Old Gniezno or Kalisz mint
| Issuer | Greater Poland, Duchy of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1138-1202 |
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| Value | 1 Denier |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Facing bust of Duke Mieszko III the Old rendered in a schematic Romanesque style, wearing a crown surmounted by a cross, with stylized facial features including a prominent nose and beard indicated by pellet groupings. The bust is flanked on either side by architectural or foliate elements, and a crescent or arch motif appears below the chin, filled with a cluster of pellets arranged in triangular formation. The surrounding field is bounded by a beaded inner circle, with the Latin legend +MEZICO partially visible along the periphery of the irregularly shaped flan. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
Mieszko III ruled Greater Poland twice — expelled by his own nobility in 1177, he spent decades in intermittent exile before recovering his position, a political instability that almost certainly disrupted mint operations and accounts for the irregular survival of his bracteate issues. The Gniezno and Kalisz attribution remains unresolved because neither mint has yielded die-linked archaeological evidence sufficient to separate the two.
At 0.19 g, these were among the thinnest coins struck in medieval Poland — bracteate production itself was a regional adaptation that sacrificed durability for silver economy, and most surviving examples are bent, cracked, or pierced from use as dress ornaments.