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Pfennig - Frederick the Handsome Squirrel
| Issuer | Duchy of Austria |
|---|---|
| Year | 1314-1330 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | A squirrel depicted in profile facing right, rendered in low relief in the crude but characteristic style of medieval Austrian bracteate-related pfennige. The animal is shown in a seated or crouching posture, with its distinctive bushy tail arching upward behind its body. The design occupies the full irregular flan, with no legend or border present. The strike is typical of hand-hammered coinage of the early fourteenth century, with uneven flan edges and variable surface texture. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Frederick the Handsome's pfennigs were struck during one of the most turbulent succession crises in medieval German history. Following the disputed imperial election of 1314 — in which both Frederick of Habsburg and Louis of Bavaria were crowned King of Germany on the same day, by different electors, in different cities — Austria maintained its own minting program in part as an assertion of ducal authority during the prolonged conflict. The rivalry ended only with Frederick's capture at the Battle of Mühldorf in 1322 and his subsequent imprisonment at Trausnitz Castle.
The "Squirrel" designation distinguishes this type within CNA classification from other pfennigs of the same reign.