Caption

Denarius of Boleslaw III Krzywousty (prince of Poland; reign ca. 1107–1138), ca. 1125–1138. Obverse: in a beaded border, a knight in chain mail thrusting a spearhead into the jaws of an upside-down dragon; under the knight's right elbow three dots in a triangle, under the left elbow two vertically aligned dots. Reverse: in a triple beaded border, an isosceles cross topped with balls (one bearing a dot); between its arms a sun; in two quarters near the center of the cross one dot each, in the third quarter a dot next to the ball at the end of the cross arm. Iconography: knight, chain mail, spearhead, dragon, jaws, equal-armed cross, crosses, sun, dots; themes of martyrs, knights, dragons, fight between good and evil, fight against pagans. Romanesque style. Possible reference to Saint Adalbert (ca. 956–997). Coin; Poland, Kraków. Diameter approx. 12.1–12.7 mm; weight 0.49 g.

Credit line

Photo12/Liszt Collection

Reference

LZT26A64_298

License type

Rights managed

Available size

27.0Mb (1.1Mb) / 10.2in x 10.2in / 3071 x 3071 (300dpi)

Keywords

Denarius Boleslaw III Krzywousty prince Poland reign ca 1107–1138 ca 1125–1138 Obverse beaded border knight chain mail thrusting spearhead jaws upside-down dragon under knight's right elbow three dots triangle left elbow two vertically aligned dots Reverse triple beaded border isosceles cross topped balls bearing dot arms sun two quarters near center third quarter dot next ball cross arm Iconography chain mail dragon equal-armed cross crosses themes martyrs knights dragons fight good evil pagans Romanesque style Possible reference Saint Adalbert 956–997 Coin Kraków Diameter approx 12.1–12.7 mm weight 0.49 g single round object metallic silver-gray surface sits white background showing textured worn appearance concentric raised ridges central area irregular embossed shapes shallow depressions.