Medieval Czechoslovakia (Bohemia) Prague Groschen (Fakes are possible) 1278 to 1564

Czech coin minting reform was introduced by Wenceslaus II (1278 to 1305AD). Thanks to rich deposits of silver in Kutna Hora, Prague groschen became a substitute for still circulating dinars and brektty.

These are silver coins which weigh near 4 grams with fineness around 0.930. Prague groschen over the centuries show a stylized image of a crown and, on the other side, a crowned two-tailed lion. Names of individual rules appear on the inner circle of the crown side, with DEI GRATIA REX BOHEMIA on the outer circle. There is a good summary of these coins at stribrnak.cz.

WENCEZLAVS SECUNDUS 1278-1305
PRIMUS IOHANNES 1310-1346
PRIMUS KAROLUS 1346-1378
WENCEZLAVS TERCIUS 1378-1419
PRIMUS LADISLAVS 1453-1457
PRIMUS GEORGIUS 1458-1471
WLADISLAVS SECUNDUS 1471-1516
PRIMUS LUDOVICUS 1516-1526
FPRIMUS FERDINANDUS 1526-1564

As to value, these coins are quite affordable. The supply is low, but the number of collectors of medieval coins is low too, keeping prices low.

worn: $50 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $150
well preserved: $350

Beware of fakes. Our secondary images below shows two close-up comparisons: (1) a genuine coin which sold for $360 US dollars in a 2010 auction with an obvious modern reproduction which sells in gift shops for about $10 and (2) another genuine coin with a not-so-obvious fake where the perfectly circular fake uses mal-formed inscriptions.

cqLastNotify