Catalog
Pfennig - Dietrich
| Issuer | County of Formbach (Austrian States) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1127-1140 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Round (irregular) |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Two hands displayed upon a bridge, flanking a central tower-like structure; a ring and the letter S appear in the field, with a V and a cluster-like symbol visible above. Small crosses ornament the arches of the bridge. The design is executed in the crude, vigorous style characteristic of early 12th-century Austrian hammered bracteate-influenced coinage, with a partial Latin legend encircling the composition. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Two confronted centaurs wielding clubs, flanking a two-wheeled cult chariot depicted in the center field. The outer border is defined by a circle populated with stars, pellets, and crescents arranged in alternating sequence. The mythological imagery reflects the Romanesque artistic vocabulary prevalent in Austrian regional coinage of the early 12th century, rendered in low relief through hand-hammering technique. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
Dietrich II of Formbach ruled a small but strategically positioned county at the confluence of the Inn and Salzach rivers, and his coinage reflects the fragmented minting rights that characterized the German-speaking lands before imperial consolidation tightened control over lesser lords. Formbach itself was nearing the end of its dynastic line during this issue — the county was absorbed into the Duchy of Bavaria following the death of the last Formbach count in 1158, making this pfennig one of the final independent coinages the house would ever produce.