GERMANY. Lindau, Abtei. Circa 1290. Bracteate (Silver, 20 mm, 0.49 g, 12 h), under royal participation. Variety with pellet between central and first right leave. Linden tree with five leaves and pellet between central and first right leave. Rev. Incuse of obverse. Cahn -. Klein/Ulmer (CC) 96. Lebek 9. Ulmer 67. Rutishauser 227. A rare variety. Beautifully toned. Tiny edge chips, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.


The pellet is not an accidental die defect, but an intentionally engraved control mark. To date, this mark has received little attention in the scholarly literature. It occurs only very infrequently, though it is attested for this particular type (cf. Sonntag 33, November 23, 2020, 864).

The purpose of control marks on bracteates remains something of a mystery. They are generally thought to have served as identifying marks, allowing different emissions to be distinguished from one another.

It remains unclear, however, whether such subtle distinguishing marks as the one seen here were actually intended for the general public, or whether they instead functioned as secret marks meaningful only to money changers and mint officials. Such concealed marks are, for example, documented for the groschen period (cf. H. Mehner: Grossus March Misnensis, Marienberg 2015, p. 9).