AUSTRIA. Steiermark. Otakar III, 1129-1164. Pfennig (Silver, 23 mm, 0.66 g, 2 h), Neunkirchen, circa 1160. Six-part rosette with cross at center and three ringelts in each angle; all sorrounded by horseshoe-circle legend. Rev. Panther to right sorrounded by horseshoe-circle legend. CNA -. Apparently unpublished and of great numismatic interest and importance. Some edge chipping, otherwise, very fine.


This highly interesting and apparently unpublished coin occupies a key position in the early history of Styrian coinage. The obverse refers to the counts of Formbach-Pütten, who are known to have received the right of coinage from Conrad III (1138-1152) in 1141 (Cf. MGH IX, pp. 109). They struck coins at their mint in Neunkirchen, featuring the six-part rosette with a cross at the center and a horseshoe-ringlet legend, but always with a count depicted on the reverse (CNA B 61C). The reverse of our piece, depicting a panther surrounded by a horseshoe-circle legend, has so far only been documented for the period following the transfer of the Neunkirchen mint to the Styrian Margrave Otakar III around 1160 (CNA B 66). While the panther had already appeared on coins from the Krems mint under Henry II Jasomirgott (1141-1156), it featured a different legend and style (CNA B 25A).

This coin, therefore, symbolizes the change in authority at Neunkirchen following the extinction of the Formbach counts with the death of Ekbert III (1144-1158) around 1160, as evidenced by its mule. It is one of the few pieces of verification from the brief minting activity by the Margraves - and later Dukes - of Styria in Neunkirchen, before the mint was relocated to Fischau around 1166.