A very rare and equally intriguing coin whose attribution is still a mystery. In the literature, it has so far been described as an unspecified Piast brakteat from the turn of the 12th/13th century, known so far from only one treasure.
The treasure from Anusin near Piotrków Kujawski, Radziejów County was discovered in 1919 and most of it (about 800 coins) was obtained by Z. Zakrzewski, although single types of coins from this find were still listed on the Warsaw antiquarian market in the 1930s. The treasure from Anusin has not yet been scientifically developed, and thanks to the Zakrzewski family's donation it is now in the MNK. Polish-style brakteates from this find are tentatively attributed only very generally, as issues of unspecified Kuyavian princes.
The present brakteate is, according to Dr. Witold Garbaczewski, an issue most likely from the first half of the 12th century, in the style of still early brakteates, but already with a clearly reduced metrologue. The style is beautiful and very distinctive, leaving no doubt about the Polish workshop of its manufacture.
Arrangement: crowned head, straight ahead, inscribed in the reliquary.
Edmund Kopicki attributed a similar representation (of the head in the reliquary), but with the face turned slightly to the side and a smaller crown, to Mieszko III (item 87 with a rarity grade of R8). He did not describe this variety.
The present piece comes, along with the other coin on display next door, from a retired collector from his"Varia" department of unspecified coins.
Crumbled and nearly cracked, but image legibility good.
First time in our offer.
Silver, diameter 15-16 mm, weight 0.096 g
