The Coinage of South Germany in the Thirteenth Century

PREFACE

The theme of this lengthy essay is the influence of the geographical setting on the issue and circulation of coinage in the age of the "regional Pfennig". I am convinced of the importance of the towns in the pattern of south Germany monetary circulation, although it is difficult to offer any formal proof except to remark that the periodical withdrawal of types could be quite efficiently carried out.

The increasing localization of issues during the course of the century, and particularly during its first half, is connected, I suspect, with the growth in size of the main towns.

The essay is, at the same time, a work of popularization, summarizing for the benefit of the general student the conclusions of a very scattered literature. It may be convenient to note the few places where I have felt unable to avoid taking sides over a controversial issue or where I have differed from current opinion, so far as attribution or chronology is concerned. The dating of the coins of Ulm presents difficulties, and, in general, a good deal of uncertainty must remain about attributions to mints within the Bodenseegebiet. I have tentatively suggested that certain coins formerly given to Basel may in fact belong to Chur; but the sequence of issues at the Basel mint, and the question of the mint-towns of the Breisgauer Pfennig, are still problematic. Some of the coins that I have listed under Regensburg, in accordance with their traditional attribution, may really have been struck at Munich-Freising.

I should like to express my gratitude to Mr. P. Grierson, who most kindly lent me a number of scarce books and offprints on south German numismatics.