Denier - Stephen III

Stephen III came to the Hungarian throne as a teenager in 1162, immediately contested by his uncles Ladislaus II and Stephen IV, both of whom were backed by Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos and briefly seized the throne in succession. The political instability of the early reign almost certainly disrupted regular minting, which may explain the die variety proliferation catalogued under CAC II#19.4.1.1 and the associated EK references.

At 0.25 g, these deniers sit at the lower end of even Hungary's already lightweight 12th-century coinage — consistent with the broader debasement trend that accelerated under Byzantine pressure during this period.