The Nemanjic’s dinar was in high demand on foreign markets, just like noble metals from Serbia. Goods and money travelled from Serbia by caravan to the East and by ship to the West. The use of Serbian dinars as a means of payment outside the Nemanjic Serbia is corroborated by medieval documents from Venice, Dubrovnik and Hungary, as well as by the many Serbian coins found in Bulgaria, Bosnia, Greece, Italy, Romania and France. Nemanjic dinars were being taken out of Serbia mostly by the merchants of Dubrovnik, who brought caravans of fabric, salt, spices, glassware, fine clothing and other valuable goods to Serbia. In return, they accepted only good dinars, so that they could get a proper equivalent for the merchandise they sold. By refusing to accept bad coins, the merchants effectively prevented the action of Gresham’s law, according to which good coins were hoarded and bad coins remained in circulation. Had they not, good money would have remained hoarded or been melted down and possibly turned into a greater amount of bad money. Chaos would have hit markets world-wide, because trading would have lost its foundation: a durable standard for measuring and comparing the value of various kinds of goods. Emperor Dusan understood quite well the importance of the principle of optional acceptance of money in circulation, since Article 118 of his Legal Code prohibited anybody from forcing merchants to accept money they did not want in return for their merchandise.
Besides rulers, the Orthodox Church also disposed of coins in the Nemanjic State. Churches and monasteries received donations in coins from rulers on the occasion of construction of new or restoration of old Church buildings. This practice was taken over from Byzantine emperors. The Nemanjic’s also regularly filled the church and monastery treasuries with donations in coins by granting annual subsidies for maintenance of monastery residents. Serbian lords had substantial monetary assets. During Emperor Dusan’s reign, the Serbian nobility was already so wealthy that it became commonplace for nobles economical than the accumulation of cattle or weighed silver.
Emperor Dusan counted on the fact that the nobles, court officials, artisans and merchants possessed assets in monetary form, as demonstrated by the fact that his legislators did not shun the possibility of seizing of such assets in certain conditions.
With the accumulation of monetary assets, conditions were created in Serbia for the lending and deposit coins. The Nemanjic’s accepted the view of the Byzantine emperors that the lending of coins at a given rate was an economic necessity. There is no reference in medieval Serbian documents to any general ban on the lending of money. According to a charter granted by Emperor Dusan to the Monastery of the Holly Archangels near Prizren in 1348-1353, only the clergy were not allowed to lend money. The lending of domestic silver coins against a mortgage on property is to be referred to from the beginning of the XIV century. With the strengthening of economic power and centralized government in the first half of the XIV century, the attitude towards mortgages was accepted without reserve, as a necessary insurance for the lenders. A reserve was later introduced, as mortgage was considered to be an act aimed against the borrowers’ interests.
Domestic lenders mostly extended loans to merchants, because the trading community suffered from a chronic shortage of money. Merchants often financed their transactions by setting up special trading companies. Some members of these companies acted exclusively as financiers, while others were responsible for the organization and conduct business. These companies were usually set up for each project or each trip. More permanent arrangements involving a yearly settlement were much rarer. The merchant companies created by domestic merchants and lenders operated exclusively between the Serbian towns on the Adriatic coast and inland markets. Trade between the Italian city states and the coastal markets of Nemanjic Serbia was controlled by foreigners, who also joined together in merchant companies.
Medieval Serbian documents show that the citizens of Dubrovnik gave valuables for safekeeping to some Serbs in Nemanjic Serbia and that Serbs deposited their money with the city of Dubrovnik and private lenders from Dubrovnik. There are no records of the rate of interests on private loans, but Dubrovnik city paid annual interest rate of five percent on deposits. In order to expand their lending and deposit business, Serbian rulers were prepared to accept foreign citizenship. For instance, King and subsequently Emperor Dusan became a citizen of Venice, regardless of the fact that the title of a Venetian citizen was very much inferior to his royal title. The acquisition of Venetian citizenship involved real benefits. Namely, foreigners were not allowed to engage in financial transaction in Venice.
8.06.2011
Function of money in medieval Serbia, part one
Barter trade and use of primitive money prevailed in domestic trading in the Nemanjic’s State, which was a kingdom from 1217 and an empire from 1346. The use of foreign coins was quite rare. The earliest domestic coins date back to the reign of King Radoslav (1228-1233), who issued on rare occasion coins akin to the Byzantine scyphatus. The minting of coins was discontinued after his death and revived toward the end of the reign of King Uros (1243-1276) or at the beginning of that of King Dragutin (1276-1282-1316). It was then that the regular minting of the national silver currency, the dinar, began. The Venetian grosso served as a model. Thanks to widespread use of the dinar in the XIV century, Serbia had one of the highest levels of commodity trading in Europe. Serbia reached its full economic prosperity during Emperor Dusan’s reign in the middle of that century. The dinar continued to be minted until the Serbian medieval state fell under Turkish rule in 1459.
Coins were supplemented in domestic trade by primitive money. Initially, the means of payment was linen, followed by cattle and, finally, weighed silver. The practice of paying in linen came with the Slavs, when they moved to the Balkans from the lands of their origin in the VII century. This practice persisted until the beginning of the XIV century, as is corroborated by a charter granted by King Milutin (1282-1321) to the monastery of St Stefan in Banjska, in 1313-1318. From the IX to the XI century, Serbs also used cattle as money. They took this Roman practice from the Wallachians, Romanized Illyrians and Thracians. Cattle were used as money in domestic trading until the middle of the XIV century and the last reference to cattle as a medium of exchange was made in Dusan’s Code. The only form of primitive money used in domestic trading right up to the fall of the Serbian medieval state under the Turkish rule was weighed silver.
The trading of goods for coins expanded at different rates in the various parts of the state. It was practiced the most on the big markets of the coastal towns, like Kotor, Budva, Ulcinj, Skadar, St Srdj and Drivast and the least in the modest markets of the inland fiefs and monastery estates. In the period in which the mining industry flourished, in the mining towns of Brskovo, Novo Brdo, Rudnik, Trepca and Plana had developed trade. During Emperor Dusan’s reign, intensive trading also went on in Prizren, Lipljan, Skoplje, Veles and Stip, all towns taken from the Byzantine Empire. Big town markets worked every day and small village markets opened only on Sundays and major Church holidays, when fairs were organized. Annual fairs are staged in villages of Serbia to this day.
The penetration of trading goods for coins into the fiefs is corroborated by Article 198 of Dusan’s Code, under which the master of every house had to pay a tax in coins or grain. This tax was introduced in the Serbian common law during King Milutin’s reign, near the end of the XIII century, as a regular tax in money like the Byzantine annona. The rulers of the medieval European states often resolved the problem of the general shortage of coins, by allowing taxes to be paid either in money or kind.
Medieval rulers decided the quantity of produce to be surrendered or the amount of money to be paid to the state as a basic poll tax. In doing so they effectively set a ratio between the value of certain kinds of commodity money and coin money. This is how a system of dual currency began to function as an instrument solely for tax collection purposes. In the dual currency system of the Nemanjic’s State, a pail of grain (about 15 kg) was worth 12 dinars. The system was modeled on the example of the Byzantine Empire, where the annona was set at one modi (pail) of grain or one golden nomisma. When King Milutin introduced similar tax in Serbia at the start of the XIV century, a corrupted nomisma was worth only 12 dinars, having lost a half of its nominal value. King Milutin used this reduced value of a nomisma when setting the poll tax. When Emperor Dusan subsequently allowed the poll tax to be paid in dual currency, he changed neither the sum of money nor the quantity of grain Serbian peasants had to pay.
While Silver coins were used as a medium of exchange in domestic trading, the price of goods, state taxes and fines were nominally expressed in perperas. Like Dubrovnik, medieval Serbia used the perpera as an accounting unit in order to set a permanent ratio between the silver dinar and the price of gold. Although the medieval Serbian state did not mint any gold coins, the ultimate goal of the development of its metallic monetary system was, as in other European states, the minting of gold coins. In Serbia, the perpera was always used as an accounting unit of 12 dinars, regardless of the actual duodecimal measure of silver, whose value could change exclusively in relation to gold.
The perpera was named after the perper, one of the Greek names for the Byzantine gold nomisma. While Dubrovnik, Serbia and Bosnia used the perpera as their accounting unit, many West European states used solidus in the same way. In terms of value, a perpera corresponded to a solidus, so that either accounting unit expressed, for example, half the value of a Venetian ducat. The Italian city states, including the Venetian Republic, kept the nominal (ideal) solidus in their monetary systems in order to preserve a single standard for measuring prices in all of Europe, even when the minting of gold coins became more common in the latter half of the XIII century.
Coins were supplemented in domestic trade by primitive money. Initially, the means of payment was linen, followed by cattle and, finally, weighed silver. The practice of paying in linen came with the Slavs, when they moved to the Balkans from the lands of their origin in the VII century. This practice persisted until the beginning of the XIV century, as is corroborated by a charter granted by King Milutin (1282-1321) to the monastery of St Stefan in Banjska, in 1313-1318. From the IX to the XI century, Serbs also used cattle as money. They took this Roman practice from the Wallachians, Romanized Illyrians and Thracians. Cattle were used as money in domestic trading until the middle of the XIV century and the last reference to cattle as a medium of exchange was made in Dusan’s Code. The only form of primitive money used in domestic trading right up to the fall of the Serbian medieval state under the Turkish rule was weighed silver.
The trading of goods for coins expanded at different rates in the various parts of the state. It was practiced the most on the big markets of the coastal towns, like Kotor, Budva, Ulcinj, Skadar, St Srdj and Drivast and the least in the modest markets of the inland fiefs and monastery estates. In the period in which the mining industry flourished, in the mining towns of Brskovo, Novo Brdo, Rudnik, Trepca and Plana had developed trade. During Emperor Dusan’s reign, intensive trading also went on in Prizren, Lipljan, Skoplje, Veles and Stip, all towns taken from the Byzantine Empire. Big town markets worked every day and small village markets opened only on Sundays and major Church holidays, when fairs were organized. Annual fairs are staged in villages of Serbia to this day.
The penetration of trading goods for coins into the fiefs is corroborated by Article 198 of Dusan’s Code, under which the master of every house had to pay a tax in coins or grain. This tax was introduced in the Serbian common law during King Milutin’s reign, near the end of the XIII century, as a regular tax in money like the Byzantine annona. The rulers of the medieval European states often resolved the problem of the general shortage of coins, by allowing taxes to be paid either in money or kind.
Medieval rulers decided the quantity of produce to be surrendered or the amount of money to be paid to the state as a basic poll tax. In doing so they effectively set a ratio between the value of certain kinds of commodity money and coin money. This is how a system of dual currency began to function as an instrument solely for tax collection purposes. In the dual currency system of the Nemanjic’s State, a pail of grain (about 15 kg) was worth 12 dinars. The system was modeled on the example of the Byzantine Empire, where the annona was set at one modi (pail) of grain or one golden nomisma. When King Milutin introduced similar tax in Serbia at the start of the XIV century, a corrupted nomisma was worth only 12 dinars, having lost a half of its nominal value. King Milutin used this reduced value of a nomisma when setting the poll tax. When Emperor Dusan subsequently allowed the poll tax to be paid in dual currency, he changed neither the sum of money nor the quantity of grain Serbian peasants had to pay.
While Silver coins were used as a medium of exchange in domestic trading, the price of goods, state taxes and fines were nominally expressed in perperas. Like Dubrovnik, medieval Serbia used the perpera as an accounting unit in order to set a permanent ratio between the silver dinar and the price of gold. Although the medieval Serbian state did not mint any gold coins, the ultimate goal of the development of its metallic monetary system was, as in other European states, the minting of gold coins. In Serbia, the perpera was always used as an accounting unit of 12 dinars, regardless of the actual duodecimal measure of silver, whose value could change exclusively in relation to gold.
The perpera was named after the perper, one of the Greek names for the Byzantine gold nomisma. While Dubrovnik, Serbia and Bosnia used the perpera as their accounting unit, many West European states used solidus in the same way. In terms of value, a perpera corresponded to a solidus, so that either accounting unit expressed, for example, half the value of a Venetian ducat. The Italian city states, including the Venetian Republic, kept the nominal (ideal) solidus in their monetary systems in order to preserve a single standard for measuring prices in all of Europe, even when the minting of gold coins became more common in the latter half of the XIII century.
12.30.2010
Counterfeits of the banknotes of the Kingdom of Serbia
The first counterfeit of the banknote of the Kingdom of Serbia appeared in 1891, or exactly six years after the ten dinar banknote in silver was put in circulation. Six years later a new counterfeit of this banknote appeared, but this time was much more dangerous. It was made in Gomos (Austro-Hungary) and an attempt of passing it was discovered in Sabac. Austro-Hungarian authorities arrested the forgers quickly, confiscated the whole material and brought the participants into court. The second two attempts of counterfeiting were discovered by the help of informers even before the forgers succeeded in making the banknotes. Both attempts were tried abroad, one in 1899 in Sophia, and the second in 1921 in Temishvar. It is interesting that both attempts were discovered during the purchasing the lithography stone. One of the most perfect counterfeits of the ten dinar banknote in silver before the war was discovered in the village of Kicevci near Kragujevac. It was so well made in all details that it differed from the real banknote very little. Apart from color and paper, water seal was also well made. Thanks to the noticeable behavior, so that they managed to pass only 114 pieces. The forgers were persecuted by the Belgrade district court. If the quantity of spread banknotes was taken for criterion, then the largest in the Kingdom of Serbia before the war was the so-called Nis counterfeit, which was discovered in 1906. Although the counterfeits could be easily noticed because of its technical faults, the forgers, thanks to carelessness of the villagers, managed to pass a greater quantity in Nis district, and some of it in Bulgaria and Romania. This counterfeit was also related to a ten dinar banknote in silver, which was in usage before the war. Other banknotes, especially those in gold, were more seldom in use. They were paid more attention to so that they were not interesting to the forgers, and the only exception was a hundred dinar banknote in silver from 1915 which was counterfeited a few times.
One more attempt was made during the war and it can be considered as a unique one by its details. The attempt was with the banknotes withdrawn from use, that were already perforated and prepared for burning but because of the sudden evacuation of the National Bank from Belgrade, they remained in the bank vault. The occupation authorities forced the enemy into the bank vault and spread the perforated banknotes in considerable number. They were used by the enemy for agitation, as evidence that the Serbian money lost every value. When the National Bank returned to Belgrade it was found out that a few individuals tried more than once to pass the banknotes that were glued on the perforated places.
One more attempt was made during the war and it can be considered as a unique one by its details. The attempt was with the banknotes withdrawn from use, that were already perforated and prepared for burning but because of the sudden evacuation of the National Bank from Belgrade, they remained in the bank vault. The occupation authorities forced the enemy into the bank vault and spread the perforated banknotes in considerable number. They were used by the enemy for agitation, as evidence that the Serbian money lost every value. When the National Bank returned to Belgrade it was found out that a few individuals tried more than once to pass the banknotes that were glued on the perforated places.
12.04.2010
Medieval Serbian coins – period of feudal lords
Smaller coins, usually bearing Latin inscriptions, were minted in abudance during the rule of Prince Lazar and Despot Stefan Lazarević. At the time of Vuk Branković (1375-1396) new types of dinars were issued, much lighter than the above-mentioned stable dinar of this period. Various versions of this type of coin today weigh from 0.69-0.63 g. One of them, probably the first dinar of this new weight, bears the inscription „VLKOV DINAR“. Of a similar reduced weight is a coin from Novo Brdo issued by Prince Lazar and another type of coin during the period of feudal lord Đurđe Branković, its average present day weight ranging from 0.85-0.80 g. Dating from the time of Despot Đurđe Branković are coins of the same weight (present day average weight 1.08-0.98 g)as normal Serbian dinars circulating from the time of Emperor Uroš until Despot Đurđe, but with visible differences in size and thickness. While the above-mentioned stable Serbian dinar was 20-17 mm in diameter and thin, this new coin had a smaller diameter, 15-12 mm, and was thick. Since the features of this small thick coin corresponded completely with the contemporary Turkish aspra, akča, and since at the time of Despot Đurđemany accounts were reckoned in aspras, which were worth 20 percent more than dinars (a ducat was worth 35 aspras, or 42 dinars) it can be assumed that the aspras mentioned in documents refer to the above-mentioned coin issued by Despot Đurđe Branković. Aspras were smaller, thicker coins issued by Đurđe Branković weighing slightly over one gram, while the dinars then in circulation of a lesser value had an average weight of 0.85-0.80 g.
A receipt issued to Despot Đurđe Branković for treasure deposited in Dubrovnik lists among his gold and silver as silver coins only a million aspras. Since Despot Đurđe Branković minted a lot of coins, the money deposited clearly consisted of Serbian aspras, and not the Turkish money used in Serbia as formerly believed, since in that case it would have been listed only as part of the money deposited as was the case with Turkish gold coins in the gold deposit, which contained mostly Venetian and Hungarian gold coins. On the basis of the total weight quoted for the above-mentioned million aspras, one arrives at the current average weight of 1,08 to 0,98 g, if one adds six percent for wear.
During the rule of despots Stefan Lazarević and Đurđe Branković the smallest Serbian coin was minted, smallest in terms of circumference and weight, its original name unknown, today sometimes referred to as an obolus, but more appropriatey designated by the folk term maljušnik. It should be mentioned that the towns of Smederevo and Rudnik minted aspras, while Smederevo and Rudišta produced the maljušnik. Known examples of the maljušnik have an average weight of 0,26g, i.e. one fourth of the weight of the last stable Serbian dinar, that is, Serbian aspra.
Following the death of Emperor Dušan there is little point in classifying the types of coins owing to the large number of different types (stable or transitional), of persons and cities that minted coins, as well as the frequent lack of established local authorities responsible for the stability of issue, etc. Therefore, during this period coins were rarely and only exceptionally given names. A document dated 1367 mentions that Nikola Altomanović was paid 750 perperi in Rudnik dinars (9000 dinars), which may have referred to his own minted coinage.
The situation as regards coins was clearer on the coast where large amounts of stable types of coins were in circulation. Kotor dinars are mentioned in the second half of the 14th century, the late 14th and first half of the 15th centuries „grossi Balse“. Dinars minted by Balša III, which are considered the last stable type of Serbian dinar, today have an average weight of 1,05 g.
Of special interest are Serbian countermarked silver coins. Countermarks, that is, subsequently affixed marks, appear mostly on dinars minted by Emperor Dušan, generally on examples with Latin inscriptions. They are also found on dinars minted by the Bosnian ruler, Stjepan II Kotromanić (1314-1353). Analysis of the material indicates that countermarks, which exist in three forms, were affixed to damaged coins, coins that were worn down or nicked, but still kept in circulation. A number of circumstances indicate that these countermarks were affixed in western Serbian regions, probably in Zahumlje, during a period of a shortage of coins in Dubrovnik and its hinterland, as a result of the plague (1348), the re-establishment of Bosnian rule in Zahumlje (1350), or a change of rulers in Bosnia (1353).
A receipt issued to Despot Đurđe Branković for treasure deposited in Dubrovnik lists among his gold and silver as silver coins only a million aspras. Since Despot Đurđe Branković minted a lot of coins, the money deposited clearly consisted of Serbian aspras, and not the Turkish money used in Serbia as formerly believed, since in that case it would have been listed only as part of the money deposited as was the case with Turkish gold coins in the gold deposit, which contained mostly Venetian and Hungarian gold coins. On the basis of the total weight quoted for the above-mentioned million aspras, one arrives at the current average weight of 1,08 to 0,98 g, if one adds six percent for wear.
During the rule of despots Stefan Lazarević and Đurđe Branković the smallest Serbian coin was minted, smallest in terms of circumference and weight, its original name unknown, today sometimes referred to as an obolus, but more appropriatey designated by the folk term maljušnik. It should be mentioned that the towns of Smederevo and Rudnik minted aspras, while Smederevo and Rudišta produced the maljušnik. Known examples of the maljušnik have an average weight of 0,26g, i.e. one fourth of the weight of the last stable Serbian dinar, that is, Serbian aspra.
Following the death of Emperor Dušan there is little point in classifying the types of coins owing to the large number of different types (stable or transitional), of persons and cities that minted coins, as well as the frequent lack of established local authorities responsible for the stability of issue, etc. Therefore, during this period coins were rarely and only exceptionally given names. A document dated 1367 mentions that Nikola Altomanović was paid 750 perperi in Rudnik dinars (9000 dinars), which may have referred to his own minted coinage.
The situation as regards coins was clearer on the coast where large amounts of stable types of coins were in circulation. Kotor dinars are mentioned in the second half of the 14th century, the late 14th and first half of the 15th centuries „grossi Balse“. Dinars minted by Balša III, which are considered the last stable type of Serbian dinar, today have an average weight of 1,05 g.
Of special interest are Serbian countermarked silver coins. Countermarks, that is, subsequently affixed marks, appear mostly on dinars minted by Emperor Dušan, generally on examples with Latin inscriptions. They are also found on dinars minted by the Bosnian ruler, Stjepan II Kotromanić (1314-1353). Analysis of the material indicates that countermarks, which exist in three forms, were affixed to damaged coins, coins that were worn down or nicked, but still kept in circulation. A number of circumstances indicate that these countermarks were affixed in western Serbian regions, probably in Zahumlje, during a period of a shortage of coins in Dubrovnik and its hinterland, as a result of the plague (1348), the re-establishment of Bosnian rule in Zahumlje (1350), or a change of rulers in Bosnia (1353).
11.26.2010
Medieval Serbian coins – period of empire
During the reign of Emperor Dušan (1345-1355) a new basic type of coin appeared, stable as regards weight, the so-called imperial dinar, “del imperador”, which included several types of imperial dinars differing in terms of inscription and images. Their present-day average weight (1.41-1.34 g), six percent more or less due to wearing, is so close to the figure 1.52 g, which is what this coin weighed in 1353. This includes dinars depicting Emperor Dušan seated on his throne with a sword on his knees, or standing while two angels place a crown on his head, or on his horse and those with the imperial signature in several lines.
Towards the end of Dušan’s reign the imperial dinar, its weight greatly reduced, led to a new type of coin, “grossi de tercio” weighing a third of the stable imperial dinar (average present day weight 0.58-0.46 g). Also appearing during the imperial period were Kotor dinars, minted by Dušan and Uroš (1355-1371), their average weight 1.68 g. The Kotor dinars were also minted later during the existence of the Serbian state by foreign city protectors, Hungarian king Louis I (1342-1382) and Bosnian king Stefan Ostoja (1398-1404).
Comparing the average weights of the different types of coins we can say that from the time of Emperor Uroš until Despot Đurđe Branković (1402-1456) there were many different types with an average present day weight of about one gram (1.12-0.97 g, generally 1.08-1.04 g), i.e. dinars which originally weighted a little over one gram – about 1.15 g. Such dinars were minted by Emperor Uroš, King Vukašin (1365-1371), Prince Lazar (1370-1389), Despot Stefan Lazarević (1389-1427), along with numerous coins issued by Despot Đurđe Branković. The coins issued by Nikola Altomanović (1367-1373)and Balša III (1403-1421) also belong to this type. Along with this reduced dinar, Dušan’s small coin „grossi de tercio“, which kept its former weight during the reign of Emperor Uroš, was converted into a half dinar. During the rule of Emperor Uroš and King Vukašin and members of his family smaller dinars were also minted.
Towards the end of Dušan’s reign the imperial dinar, its weight greatly reduced, led to a new type of coin, “grossi de tercio” weighing a third of the stable imperial dinar (average present day weight 0.58-0.46 g). Also appearing during the imperial period were Kotor dinars, minted by Dušan and Uroš (1355-1371), their average weight 1.68 g. The Kotor dinars were also minted later during the existence of the Serbian state by foreign city protectors, Hungarian king Louis I (1342-1382) and Bosnian king Stefan Ostoja (1398-1404).
Comparing the average weights of the different types of coins we can say that from the time of Emperor Uroš until Despot Đurđe Branković (1402-1456) there were many different types with an average present day weight of about one gram (1.12-0.97 g, generally 1.08-1.04 g), i.e. dinars which originally weighted a little over one gram – about 1.15 g. Such dinars were minted by Emperor Uroš, King Vukašin (1365-1371), Prince Lazar (1370-1389), Despot Stefan Lazarević (1389-1427), along with numerous coins issued by Despot Đurđe Branković. The coins issued by Nikola Altomanović (1367-1373)and Balša III (1403-1421) also belong to this type. Along with this reduced dinar, Dušan’s small coin „grossi de tercio“, which kept its former weight during the reign of Emperor Uroš, was converted into a half dinar. During the rule of Emperor Uroš and King Vukašin and members of his family smaller dinars were also minted.
11.11.2010
Medieval Serbian coins – period of kingdom
Medieval Serbian coins are among the most diverse and interesting areas of numismatics both in terms of the numerous types, the rulers, feudal lords and cities that minted coinage, and also in the remarkable beauty of the different images and inscriptions.
The earliest written record of a Serbian unit currency dates from the time of Stefan the First-crowned (1196-1228). A document dated 1214 mentions payment of 140 Slavonian perperi of Dubrovnik weight “yperperos Sclaunie ad pondus Ragusii”. The above-mentioned Slavonian coins refer to a specified amount of the Serbian state, alongside Byzantine silver and gold coins, until local minting. The later basic Serbian coin was the dinar, its name indirectly derived from the Roman denarius through the Italian unit denarius grossus or groschen. The former term appeared mostly in Cyrilic sources, and the latter in documents written in Latin or Italian. The dinar cited in documents is the same as the groschen mentioned in certain archaic sources. It was a minted silver coin, which initially had an image, weight (2.17 g) and the value of a Venetian matapan.
In use besides the dinar as a larger unit of currency was the perperus, which during the period of minting royal and imperial coins was equal to the sum of 12 dinars.
The first Serbian ruler to mint coins was King Stefan Radoslav (1228-1233), the eldest son of Stefan the First-crowned. This was a scyphate silver and cooper coin with a Greek inscription, similar to Byzantine coins of the period. Here one finds the ruler’s name and title “STEFANOS RIZ O DOUKAS” as in the signature on the only surviving charter granted by King Stefan Radoslav in 1234. His coins were minted outside the territory of the Serbian state at a mint belonging to his father-in-law Theodore Angelus in Thessalonica.
For a fairly long time after the death of King Stefan Radoslav there are no traces of the existence of Serbian coinage.
The first minted Serbian dinars appear during the reign of King Uroš I (1243-1276), probably towards the end of his rule. A document dated 1281 mentions payment in Brescoa dinars „denariorum grossorum Brescoa“, effected in the summer of 1276. Serbian dinars were also mentioned together with Venetian matapans, „denariis grossis de Veneciis et de Brescoa“ on September 29, 1277 in a Dubrovnik customs register stating that they were exempt from export duties. Not only were Venetian dinars exempt from custom duties, but also Serbian dinars from Brescoa, the place they were minted. These were the first Serbian dinars modelled after Venetian silver coins clearly differing from them with their inscription. The original type of Serbian dinar was later called a flagged dinar, „de Brescoa de bandera“. Cited in 1281 are dinars with a cross and lily, „de cruce et de lilio“ and dinars with a sword, „de macia“. These new Serbian dinars differ not only in design and inscription but also in weight and value, increasingly dinstinct from the original Venetian matapan.
During the reign of King Milutin (1282-1321) two basic types were established, their issue continuing until the end of his rule and possibly longer. The first basic type was the dinar with a cross, mentioned 1312-1358, inscribed with a symbolic image of the king receiving a cross with a double crosspiece from St. Stephen. Another distinctive feature was that its value was less the other basic type, the Rudnik dinar.
The Rudnik dinar was heavier and worth about 20 percent more than the dinar with the cross. During the reigns of kings Dragutin (1276-1316) and Vladislav II (1316-1325) it bore images of the rulers in a standing position, later replaced by illustrations of the king in armour, seated on his throne, holding a sword on his knees.
When Dušan became king (1331-1345) there appeared dinars with an image of a helmet. The term Novo Brdo dinar, “de Nouaberda”, may refer to this type, also minted later during the imperial period.
The earliest written record of a Serbian unit currency dates from the time of Stefan the First-crowned (1196-1228). A document dated 1214 mentions payment of 140 Slavonian perperi of Dubrovnik weight “yperperos Sclaunie ad pondus Ragusii”. The above-mentioned Slavonian coins refer to a specified amount of the Serbian state, alongside Byzantine silver and gold coins, until local minting. The later basic Serbian coin was the dinar, its name indirectly derived from the Roman denarius through the Italian unit denarius grossus or groschen. The former term appeared mostly in Cyrilic sources, and the latter in documents written in Latin or Italian. The dinar cited in documents is the same as the groschen mentioned in certain archaic sources. It was a minted silver coin, which initially had an image, weight (2.17 g) and the value of a Venetian matapan.
In use besides the dinar as a larger unit of currency was the perperus, which during the period of minting royal and imperial coins was equal to the sum of 12 dinars.
The first Serbian ruler to mint coins was King Stefan Radoslav (1228-1233), the eldest son of Stefan the First-crowned. This was a scyphate silver and cooper coin with a Greek inscription, similar to Byzantine coins of the period. Here one finds the ruler’s name and title “STEFANOS RIZ O DOUKAS” as in the signature on the only surviving charter granted by King Stefan Radoslav in 1234. His coins were minted outside the territory of the Serbian state at a mint belonging to his father-in-law Theodore Angelus in Thessalonica.
For a fairly long time after the death of King Stefan Radoslav there are no traces of the existence of Serbian coinage.
The first minted Serbian dinars appear during the reign of King Uroš I (1243-1276), probably towards the end of his rule. A document dated 1281 mentions payment in Brescoa dinars „denariorum grossorum Brescoa“, effected in the summer of 1276. Serbian dinars were also mentioned together with Venetian matapans, „denariis grossis de Veneciis et de Brescoa“ on September 29, 1277 in a Dubrovnik customs register stating that they were exempt from export duties. Not only were Venetian dinars exempt from custom duties, but also Serbian dinars from Brescoa, the place they were minted. These were the first Serbian dinars modelled after Venetian silver coins clearly differing from them with their inscription. The original type of Serbian dinar was later called a flagged dinar, „de Brescoa de bandera“. Cited in 1281 are dinars with a cross and lily, „de cruce et de lilio“ and dinars with a sword, „de macia“. These new Serbian dinars differ not only in design and inscription but also in weight and value, increasingly dinstinct from the original Venetian matapan.
During the reign of King Milutin (1282-1321) two basic types were established, their issue continuing until the end of his rule and possibly longer. The first basic type was the dinar with a cross, mentioned 1312-1358, inscribed with a symbolic image of the king receiving a cross with a double crosspiece from St. Stephen. Another distinctive feature was that its value was less the other basic type, the Rudnik dinar.
The Rudnik dinar was heavier and worth about 20 percent more than the dinar with the cross. During the reigns of kings Dragutin (1276-1316) and Vladislav II (1316-1325) it bore images of the rulers in a standing position, later replaced by illustrations of the king in armour, seated on his throne, holding a sword on his knees.
When Dušan became king (1331-1345) there appeared dinars with an image of a helmet. The term Novo Brdo dinar, “de Nouaberda”, may refer to this type, also minted later during the imperial period.
10.14.2010
Money in Montenegro
Though the Principality of Montenegro (Crna Gora) had been independent since the Congress of Berlin in 1878, it acquired its own money only at the beginning of the 20th century. Up till then foreign money circulated on its territory – in the 19th century, of various states, and at the end of the 19th century and beginning of 20th century – mainly Austrian. In the mid 19th century, Bishop Prince Petar Petrovic Njegos had planned to issue money and the law the foundations of a Montenegrin monetary system, but this project got no further than trial minting.
The first coins of nickel and copper were struck on the order of Prince Nicholas (Knjaz Nikola) issued on April 11. 1906, the Law of Money not being passed until December 1910. This officially linked the Montenegrin perper with the “crown course”. The minting of Montenegrin coins according to the crown course, and not according to the rules of the Latin Union may have been a consequence of Montenegro’s orientation towards Austria at this time, and perhaps also of the prince’s personal wish. The mentioned law confirmed the perper as the Montenegrin monetary unit and placed it on the gold standard.
Montenegro acquired paper money in 1912. It should be added at once that Montenegro never had banknotes but only bills of payment. However, these were accepted and exchanged just as if they were banknotes. As was the case with the first issue of Serbian paper money, in Montenegro it was first printed to cover the costs of a war with Turkey. These bills were not issued by the Bank but by the Ministry of Finance and Building.
In the World War I, as in Serbia, the occupation authorities ordered Montenegrin paper money to be over stamped. This was done on 1914 notes, both issues. There is a well known example of a 1912 one perper note that was also over stamped, but this was obviously a slip by the person doing the stamping, since the issue was no longer valid by then.
The first coins of nickel and copper were struck on the order of Prince Nicholas (Knjaz Nikola) issued on April 11. 1906, the Law of Money not being passed until December 1910. This officially linked the Montenegrin perper with the “crown course”. The minting of Montenegrin coins according to the crown course, and not according to the rules of the Latin Union may have been a consequence of Montenegro’s orientation towards Austria at this time, and perhaps also of the prince’s personal wish. The mentioned law confirmed the perper as the Montenegrin monetary unit and placed it on the gold standard.
Montenegro acquired paper money in 1912. It should be added at once that Montenegro never had banknotes but only bills of payment. However, these were accepted and exchanged just as if they were banknotes. As was the case with the first issue of Serbian paper money, in Montenegro it was first printed to cover the costs of a war with Turkey. These bills were not issued by the Bank but by the Ministry of Finance and Building.
In the World War I, as in Serbia, the occupation authorities ordered Montenegrin paper money to be over stamped. This was done on 1914 notes, both issues. There is a well known example of a 1912 one perper note that was also over stamped, but this was obviously a slip by the person doing the stamping, since the issue was no longer valid by then.
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