GERMANY. Kempten, Abtei. Landfried II 1166-1185. Bracteate (Silver, 19 mm, 0.47 g, 12 h), circa 1170-1180. Bare head to left, facing ringlet and crosier; all within sexfoil sorrounded by illegible letters. Rev. Incuse of obverse. Berger-. Heinz 11. Very rare and beautifully toned. Minor areas of wekaness, slightly bent and small deposits on the reverse, otherwise, very fine.


This mysterious and very rare type was at times attributed to Freising. Since Heinz’s comprehensive analysis of the Coin Hoard of 1180, in which this type was also represented, it has instead been assigned to Kempten and thus to the Constance monetary sphere (cf. M. Heinz: Der Münzfund von 1180, Stuttgart 2019, pp. 80f.). Whether the inscription indeed consists of Hebrew characters, as has occasionally been suggested (cf. Künker 183, 14 March 2011, 2741), has unfortunately not yet been conclusively examined.