Denier Bracteate - Wilbrand of Käfernburg

Wilbrand of Käfernburg served as Archbishop of Magdeburg from 1235 until his death in 1254, a tenure shaped largely by his conflicts with the Ascanian margraves over territorial jurisdiction east of the Elbe. Bracteates of this region and period were the dominant currency of the northern German lowlands, their thin fabric a direct consequence of local silver supply constraints rather than any design preference.

The Mehl and Bonhomme references place this piece within a well-documented but sparsely surviving series — most examples suffered irreparable crumpling in circulation due to the single-sided striking technique.