GERMANY. Freiburg, Grafen von Freiburg. Egino II or Konrad II, 1271-1350. Bracteate (Silver, 18 mm, 0.32 g), circa 1300-1320. F - R Great helm with crest to left. Rev. Incuse of obverse. Berstett pl. XLIV, 640. Matzke pl. 7, 161. Meyer (Schweiz) pl. I, 34. Ulmer 248. Wielandt (Breisgau) 69. Wüthrich 59. Very rare and nicely toned. Nearly extremely fine.


A. Berstett assigned this type to a mint in Further Austria, interpreting the letters 'F - R' as a reference to the Habsburg Dukes Friedrich III (1347-1362) and Rudolph IV (1339-1365), though he later questioned his own attribution (A. Berstett: Münzgeschichte des Zähringen-Badischen Fürstenhauses. Freiburg 1846, p. 200). In contrast, A. Meyer attributed this fascinating coin to Freiburg (A. Meyer: Die Bracteaten der Schweiz. Zurich 1845, p. 95 f.). He believed that 'F – R' referred to the city of Freiburg.

The Winterthur Hoard suggests that this type was minted in the name of Count Egino II, who ruled between 1271 and 1316, as his seal features a similar helmet. However, M. Matzke attributes this type to Count Konrad II, who ruled between 1316 and 1350, dating it between 1317 and 1320 (M. Matzke: Dirhem und Rappenpfennig 2, Bonn 2004, pl. 7, 161).

Meyer's assumption that these pieces originated from Freiburg is now widely accepted, but their exact dating remains uncertain. The recently discovered hoard from Glottertal, which has yet to be published, contained a small number of coins of this type. It may provide further insight into their precise dating in the future.