Arithmetic penny

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Two arithmetic pennies

A calculating penny , also known as Münzmeisterpfennig , Zahlpfennig or in southern Germany as a rait pfennig , was a calculation aid that was used when calculating on lines .

The computing on line was a calculating system, which until the 17th century in Central Europe was in use as of 13. Flat disks, mostly made of metal, were placed on a board or cloth divided by lines. The value of the metal disks, which over time took on a coin-like appearance, depended on their positions on the board. From the 15th century, the free imperial city of Nuremberg , in addition to the Netherlands, developed into a center for the manufacture of counter pennies. Most of the counter pennies produced in Europe were minted there. Even after the transition from Roman numerals to Indian numerals , which made arithmetic in writing much easier, arithmetic pennies were still minted as play money into the 19th century.

Well-known Nuremberg arithmetic penny makers

  • Damian Krauwinckel, 1543–1581
  • Georg & Hans Schultes, 1550–1596
  • Wolf Lauffer I, 1554–1601
  • Hans Krauwinckel I, 1562–1586
  • Egidius Krauwinckel, before 1570–1613
  • Hans Krauwinckel II, 1586-1635
  • Hans & Wolf Lauf (f) er II, 1607–1660
  • Wolf Lauffer III, 1650–1670
  • Conrad & Cornelius Lauffer, 1660–1676
  • Johann Weidinger, 1670–1700
  • Johann Conrad Höger, 1705–1743
  • Johann Jacob Dietzel, 1711–1748
  • Albrecht Höger, 1735–1789
  • Ernst Ludwig Sigmund Lauer, 1783–1829
  • Johann Jacob Lauer, 1806-1852

See also

literature

  • According to Adam Riese… history and nature of arithmetic pennies. (= The Window, Topic 94, booklet accompanying the exhibition at the Kreissparkasse Cologne), October 1975.
  • Dutch pennies and stamps. Swiss Bank Corporation, Zurich 1992.
  • Nuremberg arithmetic pennies. 2 volumes, State Coin Collection Munich.
    • A. Koenig, F. Stalzer: The families Schulte, Koch and Krauwinckel. 1989.
    • F. Groenendijk, R. Levinson: The Lauffer family. 2015.

Web links

Commons : arithmetic pennies  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Johann Christoph Adelung : Grammatical-critical dictionary of the High German dialect . 2nd Edition. Johann Gottlob Immanuel Breitkopf and Compagnie , Leipzig 1793 ( zeno.org [accessed on May 29, 2019] lexicon entry “Zahlpfennig”).
  2. ↑ Adam Ries : Adam Risen Rechenbuchauff lines and Ziphren in all sorts of handling / business and purchase. Increased with new artificial rules and examples . Christian Egenollf's heirs, Frankfurt 1574. ( scan version )
  3. ↑ arithmetic penny. Numispedia, accessed January 11, 2013 .