Jew's head groschen

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Jew's head groschen ( Oberwähr ), Freiberg Mint (silver, 2.82 g, diameter 28 mm, pitcher 764)

The Judenkopf dimes , sometimes referred to as Bärtichter dime is designated, among elector Friedrich II. The Meek of Saxony (1428-1464) after the coinage system 1444 embossed to about 1451 Oberwährgroschen the Saxon Grosch time . His brother, Duke Wilhelm III , also took part in this project . the brave (1445–1482). The name of the coin is derived from the image of the Meißner helmet with a man's head, the so-called "Jew's head". At that time, Jews had to wear similar headgear .

Coin history

Elector Friedrich II the Meek had Oberwährgroschen (Jewish headgroschen ) minted for the first time .
Duke Wilhelm III. the brave decided, together with his electoral brother, the "great Saxon coin reform".

The currency structure had to be adapted to the changed situation on the general gold market . On March 17, 1444, the "great Saxon coin reform" was carried out under Elector Friedrich II the Meek. It brought forth new forms, including the "Jewish heads". A double silver currency was created , which was then called Oberwahr and Beiwähr . Good so-called Jewish head groschen were minted as Oberwahr . They were worth

  • 20 Jew's head groschen = 26 shield groschen = 60 new shock groschen = 1 Rhenish guilder (according to the coinage system of 1444)

The by-pass consisted of previous shield eggs for 7½ new pfennigs or 15 pennies. Of these shield groschen, 26 resulted in a Rhenish guilder. In addition, six shell groschen worth three pfennigs were minted for small payments .

Even then, the Jewish headgroschen had this nickname. A document from 1451 confirms that:

"Fifth shock of good nuwer schildichter penny adir jodenkopphe [...], who has twenty one rinian guilder money still right lantwere."

(- fifteen shock of good new shield groschen or Jewish heads [...], twenty of which are worth one Rhenish guilder, according to the local currency .)

In v. Schrötter's dictionary of coinage , the naming of these groschen is given with the following explanation:

"Jew's head groschen, Jew's heads [...] jodenkopphe [...] are the [...] Meissner groschen with a helmet that has a head as a helmet ornament ." He is bearded and shown with a peculiar pointed hat with a large peacock feather, which is why the common man saw a Jewish head in him. The headgear is similar to that which Jews had to wear at that time as a different characteristic of Christians . "

Although the government the use of dual currency explained by extensive publications, it was the simple subject almost impossible to immerse itself in the conversions. The difficulties were compounded by the fact that the old currencies were still allowed. The average citizen was also unable to make the decision as to which purchase the high currency (Jew's head groschen) was justified for. The result was a great mess in trade and change.

As early as 1451, after the fratricidal war ended , the double currency was abandoned. The stabilization of the groschen currency through the coin reform of 1444 with new high-quality groschen of the Oberwahr, the Judenkopfgroschen, and an bywahr had failed.

Note: Frederick the Meek carried out another Oberwähr in 1457 with Saxon Turnose Groschen and an Beiwähr with previously depreciated shield groschen under the new name "Sword Groschen". This ultimately led to the final failure of the double currency. Clear currency relations were only created with the horn groschen , which were minted from 1465 to 1669 .

Coin description

The Jewish head groschen of Elector Frederick II the Meek of Saxony were minted in the Freiberg mint without a mintmaster mark and in the Zwickau mint with the mint master mark 6-pointed star . In Freiberg , Hans Borner worked as mint master until 1449 and afterwards Nikolaus Monhaupt , in Zwickau, Jürge Silberborner.

The silver upper egg shown has a diameter of 28 millimeters and weighs 2.82 grams.

front

The obverse shows the cross of flowers in a quatrefoil with a little lion shield , above the Landsberg stake shield .

  • Transcription: F (riedericus) • DEI • GRACIA • T (h) VRING (iae) • LAN (d) G (gravius) •

The groschen of Wilhelm III., Duke of Saxony and Landgrave of Thuringia, differ in the legend from the groschen of his brother Friedrich. The "F" at the beginning of the legend has been replaced by a "W". Wilhelm had Jewish head groschen minted in Freiberg and Gotha .

back

The reverse shows the Meissen helmet ornament with the man's head, the so-called Jewish head.

  • Inscription: GROSSVS • MARCh (ionis) • MISnENSIS
    • Translation: Groschen der Mark Meissen.

See also

literature

  • Gerhard Krug: The Meissnian-Saxon Groschen 1338–1500 , Deutscher Verlag der Wissenschaften, Berlin 1974
  • Walther Haupt : Sächsische Münzkunde , Deutscher Verlag der Wissenschaften, Berlin 1974
  • Helmut Kahnt: The large lexicon of coins from A to Z , Regenstauf 2005
  • Heinz Fengler, Gerd Gierow, Willy Unger: transpress Lexikon Numismatics , Berlin 1976
  • Friedrich von Schrötter, N. Bauer, K. Regling, A. Suhle, R. Vasmer, J. Wilcke: Dictionary of Coin Studies , Berlin 1970 (reprint of the original edition from 1930)

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Gerhard Krug: Die Meißnisch-Saxon Groschen 1338-1500 (1974), p. 144
  2. ↑ Helmut Kahnt: Das große Münzlexikon von A to Z (2005), p. 211: Judenkopfgroschen
  3. ↑ Heinz Fengler, ...: transpress Lexikon Numismatik (1976), p. 162: Judenkopfgroschen, Judenhut
  4. ^ Karlheinz Blaschke : History of Saxony in the Middle Ages , Union Verlag Berlin 1989, p. 268: u. a. Jew hat
  5. ↑ Gerhard Krug: The Meissnisch-Saxon Groschen 1338–1500 (1974), p. 80
  6. ^ Gerhard Krug: The Meissnisch-Saxon Groschen 1338-1500 (1974), p. 86/165
  7. ^ Gerhard Krug: The Meissnisch-Saxon Groschen 1338-1500 (1974), p. 81
  8. ↑ Krug p. 81, (395) Document from 1451: "jodenkopphe"
  9. ↑ Friedrich von Schrötter, ...: Dictionary of Coin Studies , (1970, reprint from 1930), p. 288
  10. ^ Gerhard Krug: The Meissnisch-Saxon Groschen 1338-1500 (1974), p. 81/82
  11. ^ Gerhard Krug: The Meissnisch-Saxon Groschen 1338–1500 (1974), p. 82
  12. ↑ Walther Haupt: Sächsische Münzkunde (1974), p. 84
  13. ↑ Gerhard Krug: The Meissnisch-Saxon Groschen 1338–1500 (1974), p. 87: Die Münzmeister
  14. ↑ Walther Haupt: Sächsische Münzkunde (1974), p. 261
  15. ↑ Walther Haupt: Sächsische Münzkunde (1974), p. 261
  16. ↑ Helmut Kahnt: Das große Münzlexikon von A to Z (2005), p. 281