An exceptional representative of the historically important Polish brakteat, in a very rare variety witha "sun" over a kneeling figure.
The coin was once called a penance coin, seeing in it a reference to Prince Boleslaw's pilgrimage to the tomb of St. Adalbert in Gniezno in 1113. It referred to penance for the blinding and death of his older brother, Zbigniew.
It was not until Richard Kiersnowski linked this coin to Boleslaw the Wrymouth's manifesto after the Polish prince paid tribute in Merseburg before Emperor Lotar III. He dated this event to around the year 1135. The iconography was supposed to proclaim that the Polish prince was under the protection of St. Adalbert, hence the designation of brakteats of this type as patronage coins.
Vytautas Garbaczewski's research, on the other hand, has shed a different light on the essence of the issue of this brakteat. Mr. Garbaczewski sees it as the result of a monetary reform from the end of the reign of the Wrymouth, aimed at replenishing the treasury to pay tribute to Lotar III, and dates the type to 1137.
A beautifully preserved piece, in an age-old charming patina, minor imperfections to the disc.
For the finest collections, definitely recommended, a rarity.
WCN Auction Coin No. 74, year 2020, previously sold 11 PTN auction in 1999.
Obverse: St. Adalbert standing facing, with his head turned to the left, in his left hand he holds a pastoral, his right hand raised in a gesture of care for the kneeling prince, at the top one can see the sun composed of five spheres, around + SAIRELA-D-ZBOLEZLAV
Silver, diameter 26 mm, weight 0.63 g.
