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Denier Bracteate - Mieszko III the Old Gniezno or Kalisz mint
| Issuer | Greater Poland, Duchy of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1138-1202 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Denier |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | As a bracteate, this coin is struck from a single die on a thin silver flan, producing a mirror-image incuse impression on the reverse. The reverse shows the corresponding recessed relief of the obverse design, with no independent design or legend, which is characteristic of all bracteate coinage of this period. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Mieszko III ruled longer than almost any Piast duke — twice expelled from Kraków and twice restored, his reign was defined by conflict with his own nobility rather than foreign enemies. These bracteates were struck during a period when Polish coinage had fragmented entirely along dynastic lines following the Testament of Bolesław III in 1138, which partitioned the kingdom among his sons and inaugurated a century and a half of division. The thin, single-sided fabric was not a regional quirk but a deliberate cost reduction widely adopted across fragmented German and Polish territories during the 12th century.
Attribution between Gniezno and Kalisz remains unresolved in the literature. Kopicki's single reference number accommodates both mints without distinguishing them.