Medieval Balkans

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This thread deals with coins from Medieval Balkan region. This will cover coins from Serbia, Bosnia, Greece and most of South-Eastern Europe. Anyone who has any specimens of there own that they would like to post, I'd love to see them.

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These first two specimens were issued for the Kingdom of Serbia under King: Stefan Uros I 1243-1276 AD and King: Stefan Dragutin 1276-1282 AD. Most early Serbian coins were very similar to coins from Venice and the Byzantine Empire from the re pattern, weight and content. The following two coins are from under Stefan I and Dragutin which were modeled after the Venetian Gros coins. Both coins show the respective leaders along side a saint with text bearing name and status on the obverse. The reverse for both coins show Christ enthroned with the intials IC/XC. The main difference between both specimens is the lengend on the obverse. The coin for Stefan I is marked   'STEFANVS-REX- VROSIVS '. Dragutin's coin is marked  'STEFANVS-REX -STEFAN'.


SERBIA (KINGDOM)~AR Dinar 1243-1276 AD


SERBIA (KINGDOM)~AR Dinar 1276-1282 AD

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This second pair are coins from Bosnia. The first specimen is a silver Dinar from the Banate of Bosnia issued under the rule of Ban: Stjepan Kotromanic II (1322-1353 AD). This is among the earliest issues for Bosnia bearing a similar Byzantine style motif. The obverse show the Ban enthroned with his title along the rim: 'BAN S-TEFA'. The reverse show Christ enthroned with legend: IC-XC. The second specimen is a silver Grosh from the Kingdom of Bosnia during the reign of King: Tvrtko Kotromanic II (1404-1408 and 1421-1443 AD).  Due to the substantial time gap between Tvrtko's first and second reign, it's uncertain when this coin was issued, but it would probably be during the latter. The obverse shows the arms of the Kotromanic family with crowned helm and shield. The shield having Tvrtko's initial. Legend: 'ONS/TUARTCO/REX/BOSNE' , and initials R/T. The reverse shows St. Gregory standing holding a staff. Legend: 'S/GREGORIUS/NяSяSENUS'.


BOSNIA (BANATE)~AR Dinar 1322-1353 AD




2.) BOSNIA (KINGDOM)~AR Dinar 1421-1443 AD

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This group are silver Dinars issued under King/Tsar: Stefan Uros IV (Dusan) 1331-1355 AD and his son Tsar: Stefan Uros V. Dusan held two titles during his reign. Dusan was a king from 1331-1346, then was crowned Tsar in 1346 and reigned until his death in 1355. The first coin was issued when Dusan was a king. The obverse shows Dusan and his wife Elena standing with the king's intials in Cyrillic. The reverse shows Christ enthroned with the initials IC/XC. The second is a Coronation Dinar struck in 1346 AD. The obverse shows two angels crowning Dusan tsar with his initials and title in Cyrillic. The reverse shows Christ enthroned. This issue marked Serbias rise from a kingdom to an empire, and the countrys zenith of power. The third coin is an imperial issue showing Dusan with Elena on the obverse along with name and title in Latin legend: 'INPERATOR/STEFANU'. The reverse shows Christ standing holding a scepter with intials: ID/XD. The third is a Helm Dinar showing Dusan's crested helm on the obverse with his name and title in Latin: 'INPERATOR/STEFANU'. The reverse shows Christ enthroned with the Latin initials: N/C.

While Dusan brought Serbia to it's height of power, his son Tsar: Stefan Uros V 1355-1371 AD, caused the empire to quickly unravel. Known as Stefan the Feeble due to his poor leadership, he had numerous nobles, despots other local rulers who didn't acknowledge his status as tsar. He did however, use similar designs on his coins as his late father. The example shown is a Helm Dinar showing Uros enthroned, holding a cruciform scepter, with his name and title in Cyrillic:OUSH/CR-'UROS/TSAR'. The reverse shows Uros's Crested helm, with his name and title in Latin: VROSIVSI/MPERATOR.



SERBIA (KINGDOM)~AR Dinar 1331-1346 AD


SERBIAN EMPIRE~AR Dinar (Coronation) c. 1346 AD


SERBIAN EMPIRE~AR Dinar 1346-1355 AD


SERBIAN EMPIRE~AR Dinar (Helm) 1346-1355 AD


SERBIAN EMPIRE~AR Dinar (Helm) 1355-1371 AD

[coinsarefun]

Awesome coins and I love the information regarding them. 

Thanks

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Awesome coins and I love the information regarding them.

Thanks

Thanks. I'm glad you like them. Alot of the rulers have interesting stories behind them. I'll be posting issues for Lazar Hrebeljanovic, Vuk and Djuradj Brankovic, and Stefan Lazarevic shortly. I think you'll find some of these patterns very interesting.

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This specimen is a silver Dinar under King: Vukašin Mrnjavčević (1365-1371 AD).  Vukašin reigned in the area that is now part of north-western Macedonia. He was intially given the title of 'despot' by Tsar: Stefan Uros V, then became king in 1365. This coin showed signs that Serbia's unity was wavering since it was issued during the same period as Stefan V's. Vukašin's short reign ended when he was killed in a battle against a Turkish regiment in 1371.
The obverse side shows 5 lines in Cyrillic legend: ' ВБХА/БАБЛГО/ВЪРNHИ/КРАВЛЬ/КАШЬ = IN CHRIST OUR GOD PIOUS KING VUKASIN'. The reverse shows Christ enthroned with intials in Roman text: IC/XC.



SERBIAN EMPIRE~AR Dinar 1365-1371 AD

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Serving as the last official ruler of the Serbian Empire, Knez/Prince: Lazar Hrebeljanović, aquired his title from Stefan Uros V, and took power in 1371 in northern Serbia. While Lazar was a pledged vassal to Uros, he refused to serve in the 'Battle of Marica' where large portion of the Serbian imperial army was destroyed by the Ottoman Turks. As a result, Lazar was the most powerful noble not under Ottoman influence. Lazar thwarted the first attack from the Turks and had a brief pause in hostilities. However in 1389, Lazar's forces faced off with the Turks at the 'Battle of Kosovo' also known as the 'Field of the Black Birds' where he was defeated and executed along with most of his political hierarchy, thus bringing an official end to Serbia's short lived empire.

The coin posted is a silver dinar with 5 lines in Cyrillic legend: 'ВБХА/БАБЛГО/ВЪРNHИ/КНЕЗЬЛ/АЗАРЬ = IN CHRIST OUR GOD PIOUS PRINCE LAZAR' on the obverse side. The reverse shows Christ enthroned with initials in Roman legend: IC/XC.


SERBIAN EMPIRE~AR Dinar 1371-1389 AD

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Nobleman: Vuk Branković served as the Master of Kosovo and was the son-in-law of Prince Lazar. He fought in the 'Battle of Kosovo' and was one of the few members of the imperial hierarchy to survive the battle. Vuk was and still is considered by many Serb nationals to be a traitor because he appeared to act independently of Lazar, although there is no evidence to support this. Because of the smaller territory that Vuk still controlled, he had neither the power nor sources for independence. Unofficial sources report that Vuk was imprisoned in 1395, and remained so until his death in 1397.

The first coin posted is a silver Dinar showing Vuk standing holding scepter with Cyrillic legend: 'ВЛЬКЬ/ВЛЬКЬ = VUK/VUK' on the obverse side. The reverse shows Christ enthroned with the moneyers name in Cyrillic: 'ГАК/ВЬ = JAK(O)V'.

The second is a silver Dinar with 4 lines in Cyrillic legend: '+ВЛЬКЬ/ОВЬДН/NАРЬ/МГА = 'VUK DINAR' with Moneyers initials JAKOV on the obverse side. The reverse shows Christ enthroned holding book of gospels. This coin is unique in that it was on of the few medieval coins with the denomination marked on it.


SERBIA~AR Dinar 1371-1395 AD (Type 1)


SERBIA~AR 4 Line Dinar 1371-1395 AD

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After the crushing defeat at the Battle of Kosovo, the Serbian Empire was laid to ruin. Following Lazar's execution, his son Stefan Lazarević Hrebeljanović assumed the throne. During his reign, Lazarević held two titles. From 1389 to 1402, he reigned as Prince under the vassal of the Ottoman Empire. Then in 1402, he became a Despot after the Ottoman Empire's temporary collapse, until his death in 1427. Numerous coins were issued under Lazarevic both as a Prince and a Despot.

The first specimen is a silver Dinar issued from 1389-1402 during Lazarević's reign as prince. The obverse shows an ox-horned helm which was used by the Lazarević family with legend in Roman text: CON~V=COUNT/PRINCE. The reverse shows Christ enthroned holding the book of gospels.

The second specimen is a silver Dinar issued from 1402-1427 when Lazarević governed as a despot. The obverse shows 4-lined legend in Cyrillic:  'ВЬХА/БАДЕСП/ОТСТЕ/ФАNЬ=IN CHRIST OUR GOD LORD STEFAN'. The reverse shows Christ in glory holding the book of gospels with intials in Roman text: IC/XC.


SERBIA (PRINCIPALITY)~AR Dinar 1389-1402 AD


SERBIA (DESPOTATE)~AR Dinar 1402-1427 AD