Prague groschen

Groschen of Venceslas II., obverse

Groschen of Venceslas II., reverse

ThePrague groschen(Czech:pražský groš,Latin:grossi pragenses,German:Prager Groschen,Polish:grosz praski) was agroschen-type silvercointhat was issued byWenceslaus II of Bohemiasince 1300 in theKingdom of Bohemiaand became very common throughoutMedievalCentral Europe.

Etymology

The inspiration came fromKingdom of Francewhere groschen (groats) were used since 1266 (under the namegros tournois), and replaced old coins calleddenar.The name came from the Latindenarius grossus(English:thick denar).

Coin

It is asilvercoin with on the obverse the legendDEI GRATIA REX BOEMIE( "By the grace of God the King of Bohemia" ) and on the reverseGROSSI PRAGENSES( "Prague groschen" ). The weight of the coin varies between 3.5 and 3.7 g with a fineness of 933/1000 of silver.

The groschen was subdivided into twelveparvus( "small" ) coins with aBohemian heraldic lionsign on the obverse.

History

Silver content of the Prague groschen in grams during the period of their mintage (1300–1526)

Minting of this coin started around 1300 after silver mines had been discovered inKutná Hora(German:Kuttenberg) during the reign of theBohemian kingWenceslaus II.King Wenceslaus II invited theItalianlawyer Gozzius ofOrvietoto create a mining codeIus regale montanorumwhich was also partly a reform of the coinage. This, and the high amount of silver found in Kutná Hora, resulted in the implementation of the Prague groschen. Because of the high amount of silver used in the coin, it became one of the most popular of the earlyGroschen-typecoins in medieval Europe.

In documents of the era, like e.g. thePeace of Thorn (1411),large amounts of money often were given in more convenient unit, called inLatinsexagena(= threescore) of Prague groschen, which equals toCzechtermkopa= 5dozen= ½small gross=60.

After the opening of new silver mines inJáchymov(German:Joachimsthal) the new currency namedJoachimsthaler,inBohemiaknown astolar,gradually came in use. In the years 1547/48, after the defeat of theBohemian Estates′ Revolt,kingFerdinand Itook advantage of the situation and abruptly ended the minting of Prague groschen as part of his centralization (absolutist) efforts in theBohemian Crown lands.Nevertheless, Prague groschen were still valid and in circulation until 1644 when kingFerdinand IIIfinally prohibited their further use.

See also

• Meissengroschen,modelled on the Praguegroschen
• Kraków grosz,an unsuccessful attempt of Polish kingCasimir III the Greatto imitate the Prague model
• Tolar,another Bohemian coin that replaced the Praguegroschenboth internally and abroad

External links

• History of Pražský groš(in Czech)
• Prager Groschen /sexagenas grossorum bohemicalium boni argenti(in German and Latin)