Pamětní mince vydané v roce 2018 / Commemorative coins produced in 2018

The Czech National Bank issued seven commemorative coins in 2018. Three of them are in silver: the 200 CZK piece celebrating the 500th anniversary of edition of the Klaudyán map of Bohemia, the 200 CZK piece celebrating the 200th anniversary of foundation of the National Museum, the 200 CZK piece celebrating the 300thdeath anniversary of John Brokoff and the 500 CZK piece celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of the Czechoslovak Nation by its Provisional Government in Washington. Two gold 5,000 CZK commemorative pieces were produced under the scheme called Castles: the Zvíkov Castle and the Rabí Castle. In the same year, also one gold commemorative 10,000 CZK piece was issued celebrating the 100th anniversary of birth of the Czechoslovak Republic.

Neznámý keltský ¼statér – typ hlava Athény / čtyřnohé zvíře / Unknown Celtic ¼-stater of the Athena head / four-legged animal type

The article is focused on one unpublished ¼-stater (1.84 g) of the Athena head / four-legged animal type. The coin has been recently documented among collectors, and no finding provenance is known. Based on the typological and metrological analyses, it is possible to take hypothetically in mind the Bohemian territory as the place of origin. It could be another 1/4-stater from the group of the so-called Bohemian local series. The hypothesis must be confirmed or disproved by further authentic finds. From the relative chronological point of view, the coin could be classified under the numismatic horizon A2, i.e. in the second half of the 3rd century BC.

Hodnocení Josefa Smolíka z roku 1915 / Characteristic of Josef Smolík dating to 1915

The personality of Josef Smolík (1832–1915) – a mathematician, archaeologist and numismatist – was analysed several times in the past. The first summarizing study on his legacy was published shortly after his death by the corresponding member of the Bohemian Academy of Sciences (Česká akademie pro vědy, slovesnost a umění) Prof Zdeněk Nejedlý in Almanach of this institution printed in 1916. This obituary was written and sent to the editor even at the end of 1915. In a knowledgeable form, Smolík was characterized there as a scholar who – from mathematics and physics via archeology – came to his most essential interest – numismatics.

Antoninus Pius – císař reprezentující „zlatý věk“ římského impéria / Antoninus Pius – Emperor representing the ‘Golden Age’ of the Roman Empire

The coins of the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius struck in the mid-2nd century AD are very popular among collectors because they practically very often appear in all their denominations, and the numismatic trade offers a large scale of all coin types of this ruler. Also the personality of this Emperor representing the ‘Golden Age’ of the Roman Empire is extraordinary. There were no destructive wars during his 23-year-long rule, and the Roman Empire was economically significantly flourishing because of the political peace times. This should change in time of his successor and son-in-law, a successful warrior and ‘philosopher on throne’ – Marcus Aurelius.

Poznámky k rozebrání denárového depotu z Čistěvsi (okr. Hradec Králové) / Some notes to the dispersal of the hoard of deniers from Čistěves (Hradec Králové district)

On April 9, 1896, a large coin hoard was discovered in a field near the Čistěves Village (Hradec Králové district). The hoard has not been preserved in its compactness up to date, because it was sold part by part to various collectors and museums. Based on written sources, the presented article follows the whole process of dispersal of the hoard.

Pamětní medaile v základním kameni kostela sv. Anny v Českých Budějovicích / A commemorative medal reminding setting of the foundation stone of the St. Ann Church in České Budějovice

The article is focused on the commemorative medal connected with foundation of the Baroque St. Ann Church affiliated to the Capuchin Monastery in České Budějovice. The data from the chronicles and official records report about the fact, that on June 1, 1615, the municipal council had ‘ein ubergeltn Schaw Groschen’ inserted in the founding stone of the church. There is an image of St. Ann on one side of the coin, and names of twelve municipal councillors and vogt on the other. The medal was produced by the goldsmith from České Budějovice – Bonifacius Riedl jr. Existence of the medal has been confirmed by the archive sources only.

Zajímavý vratislavský tříkrejcar Ferdinanda II. / An interesting three-kreuzer piece struck under Ferdinand II in Breslau

The three-kreuzer struck under Ferdinand II in Breslau in 1625 authorized by the mint-master Jan (John) Riedel – a piece not listed in numismatic literature up to date – is described in this article. The coin is interesting by marking its denomination on obverse as well as on reverse. The three-kreuzers of Ferdinand II from Breslau seem to be relatively uniform (ruler’s head / eagle), but placing the numeral which marks the denomination is different from type to type (obverse / reverse). That is why such a hybrid variety could appear. A very simplified table of the recorded types of obverse and reverse of these three-kreuzers can help in explanation of appearance of other hybrid coins and, possibly, in prediction of some ‘non-standard’ pieces which could be found in private or public collections or in hoards in the future.

Depoty uložené v kutnohorském muzeu / Coin hoards preserved in the Kutná Hora (Kuttenberg) museum

The Bohemian Museum of Silver in Kutná Hora (Kuttenberg) has recently eleven coin hoards and seventeen single finds in its numismatic collection. Some 20 years ago, Z. Petráň gave a lecture about them during the numismatic colloquy in Pardubice. This article should correct some inaccuracies and adds new information about the coin hoards preserved in the Kuttenberg museum.

K počátkům kutnohorské ražby tolarů Maxmiliána II. v roce 1573 / Notes to the beginning of the thaler production under Maximilian II in Kuttenberg in 1573

The year 1573 undoubtedly represents one of the most important milestones in the Bohemian monetary history before the Thirty Years War. After many comments of various specialists and the ordinary public on the monetary code issued by Ferdinand I in 1561 (thalers of 28.93 g with quality of 895/1000 were replaced by 60-kreuzers of 24.62 g with quality of 931/1000), production of thalers and other denominations of the previous Bohemian monetary system (1547) was restored. Renewed production of the thalers and their fractions is documented by the Kuttenberg coin registers summarized in fourteen weekly reports between May and August 1573. At that time, 49,582 thalers, 7,480 half thalers and 4,369 quarter thalers were struck in the mint. Some 1,520 kg of minting metal (silver with admixture) were used. High priority production of the highest silver denominations was characteristic for the period when the 60-kreuzers were replaced by the newly re-introduced thalers.

K počátkům peněžní směny v Čechách / Notes to the beginning of the monetary exchange in Bohemia

Since the break of the 8th and 9th centuries, the people in Bohemia were in intensive contacts with the Western Christian world represented by the powerful Frankish Empire. This is well documented by activities of the Bavarian missionaries in Bohemia and objects of the Western provenance found there (e.g. weapons, various decorations, etc.). Also the number of the Carolingian deniers registered in Bohemia significantly increased recently. Territorial expansion, engagement of the Přemyslid Bohemia in the profitable long-distance trade in the 10th century and the close Přemyslid contacts with the Bavarian milieu led to the production of the Bohemian coins at the beginning of the 960s – the deniers copying the BavarianSwabian prototypes. Introduction of these coins into the local exchange was not that simple. The coins struck in the 9th and 10th centuries were predominantly used by traders in long-distance trade and by ruling elites. Their larger and massive distribution can be taken into consideration since the beginning of the 11th century.