"COIN OF THE MONTH" - AR HEBREW BRACTEATE, MIEZSKO III THE OLD, POLAND
Kopicki 83 (R5), Stronczyński T.118.a. Frynas P.9.14, Extremely Fine, toned, 19.1mm, .18 gram, Struck Circa. 1181 - 1202 C.E., Gniezo Mint
Obverse: Angel face between large wings (according to another interpretation, face of prince between two towers), Hebrew legend ברכה "Blessing" underneath
Reverse: Incuse of the same
A VERY RARE coin in EXCEPTIONAL condition! These very early thin silver bracteats are usually found in a poor state of preservation, with significant wrinkles, cracks or missing metal. This is quite a high grade piece. We have found only one example sold over the last twenty years here. As is obvious it is a degraded specimen and that was also the one used as the type example in Numista. See here.
EX: VJM Collection, Teaneck, NJ
Miezsko I adopted Christianity for Poland in 996 and some of the early Polish Kings employed Jewish mintmasters who emblazoned hebrew letters/messages on the coins. This is a very rare type and the first we have ever handled. It features and angel and or the prince with a Hebrew message of "Blessing"
I have provided at bottom a link for more information about the earliest Polish currency. Immediately following is an adaptation of the description of the only other example we found to have sold in the last 20 years.
Mieszko III, Hebrew Bracteat 'Angel' - Rarity: Very rare, Characteristic bracteat depicting the prince standing on the wall, between two towers topped with balls. At the bottom, within a pearl strip border, is an inscription BRACHA (blessing). There is also a version of this bracteat, where the figure of the ruler stands between towers topped with crosses. According to Witold Garbaczewski, replacing the crosses with balls was a deliberate move by the Jewish engraver. An iconographically similar bracteate is interpreted in the literature as the figure of an angel, and indeed there are specimens in which this image is much more suited to the figure of an angel with outstretched wings than the figure between the towers. Whether it is really a different type, whether it is a matter of inaccuracy of the punch, its wear, or a poor representation of the ideas when striking several bracteats at once, remains a question that is difficult to determine unequivocally. Valued and sought after type of bracteats of Mieszko III. We recommend.
https://polishhistory.pl/the-denarii-of-boleslaw-i-the-brave-polands-first-currency/
