Catalog
Pfennig - Bernard II Heiligenkreuz
| Issuer | Duchy of Carinthia (Austrian States) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1220-1240 |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Two facing busts or figures depicted side by side within a beaded inner circle, rendered in the rough, stylised manner characteristic of early 13th-century Carinthian hammered silver coinage. Between and above the figures, a cross or architectural element is visible, likely representing a church facade or reliquary, alluding to the Heiligenkreuz (Holy Cross) dedication. A beaded border frames the central design. The field is flat and irregular due to the flan preparation. No legible inscription appears on this side. |
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| Additional information |
Bernard II ruled Carinthia from 1202 until his death in 1256, and the Heiligenkreuz issues from his reign represent one of the more localized minting operations of the Austrian duchies — Heiligenkreuz Abbey holding minting rights that were periodically contested by secular authority throughout the thirteenth century. The bracteate-adjacent thin fabric of these pfennigs made them particularly vulnerable to damage, which accounts for the difficulty in finding intact survivors today.