Dear fellow numismatist!I have the pleasure of announcing that Denarius will be offering a small collection of very impressive bracteates from medieval Europe the next weeks. The series starts this week with a huge and very sought-after German bracteate from Landgrave Ludwig III the Pious (1172-1190). Ludwig III the Pious (der Fromme) was landgrave of Thuringia, and a very powerful person in 12th Century Germany. He became ill and died on the way to Cyprus after the Third Crusade in 1190, and the remains of his body were transported to Reinhardsbrunn Monastery, where they lay until the 14th Century. The bones were then moved and reburied in the Church of St. George in Eisenach.Denarius’ bracteate is an impressive and beautiful bracteate that gives us, in detail, a unique insight into 12th Century armour. One can see a pointed helmet, the almond-shaped kite shield, the neck strap that helped to hold up the shield, and the stirrup, among other things. There are some signs of wear on the edge, but this is not uncommon for this coin type. These very thin bracteates were not made for long-term circulation; rather, they were replaced with new bracteates, sometimes every second year, depending on the political situation in the area in which they circulated (Swenson, 2020).
This coin type is listed as the fifth most expensive medieval bracteate on CoinsWeekly.com (Oct. 2020), and has recently (Jan. 2022) been sold for EUR 26,400 (ca. USD 30.000). Denarius’ price is NOK 100,000 (ca. EUR 10,000). Please check out the coin here.
