A silver penny minted more than a thousand years ago has been discovered by an amateur archeologist in northeastern Poland.
The coin has been hailed by experts as “one of the most interesting numismatic artifacts discovered in Poland.”
The penny was found by Damian Tomczyk, a member of a local exploration and archeology group, using a metal detector near the small town of Kamień Pomorski.
It was minted at the behest of Otto III (980-1002), who was crowned German king in 983 and became Holy Roman Emperor in 996 – at the age of just 15.
Throughout his brief imperial reign, Otto wanted to unite Western Christianity under his rule. He is remembered by Polish historians for his friendly relations with Bolesław, a Polish duke who was later crowned the country’s first king.
The denarius, or penny, is made of high-quality silver. Such coins produced by the imperial mint at the time made them a popular means of payment not only in Otto’s German domain, but across Central and Eastern Europe.
The imagery on the penny is rich in symbolism, depicting a cross and chapel. The Kamień Land History Museum in Kamień Pomorski said in a statement on Wednesday that coins of this type were “carriers of the ideology of imperial Christian power.”
The penny contains inscriptions including “ODDO” (Otto), “DI GRA REX” (standing for “Dei Gratia Rex,” or “King by Grace of God”), and “ADELHEIT,” referring to Adelaide, wife of emperor Otto I and grandmother to Otto III.
The penny was found by Damian Tomczyk, a member of a local exploration and archeology group, using a metal detector near the small town of Kamień Pomorski.
It was minted at the behest of Otto III (980-1002), who was crowned German king in 983 and became Holy Roman Emperor in 996 – at the age of just 15.
Throughout his brief imperial reign, Otto wanted to unite Western Christianity under his rule. He is remembered by Polish historians for his friendly relations with Bolesław, a Polish duke who was later crowned the country’s first king.
The denarius, or penny, is made of high-quality silver. Such coins produced by the imperial mint at the time made them a popular means of payment not only in Otto’s German domain, but across Central and Eastern Europe.
The imagery on the penny is rich in symbolism, depicting a cross and chapel. The Kamień Land History Museum in Kamień Pomorski said in a statement on Wednesday that coins of this type were “carriers of the ideology of imperial Christian power.”
The penny contains inscriptions including “ODDO” (Otto), “DI GRA REX” (standing for “Dei Gratia Rex,” or “King by Grace of God”), and “ADELHEIT,” referring to Adelaide, wife of emperor Otto I and grandmother to Otto III.
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