NEW BOOK: THE MEDIEVAL COINS OF WÜRZBURG

Hubert Ruß publishes standard work on the medieval coinage of Würzburg

Hot off the presses: this new standard work covers medieval coins of the Bishopric of Würzburg. Its author, Dr. Hubert Ruß, is considered one of today’s leading experts on Franconian coinage. His book is very important for all numismatists, from researchers, to coin dealers, to collectors.

Hubert Ruß, Die mittelalterlichen Münzen des Hochstiftes Würzburg: Münzgeschichte und Katalog der Prägungen von ca. 900 bis 1495 ["The medieval coins of the Bishopric of Würzburg: monetary history and catalog of coins from approx. 900 up to 1495"]. Munich 2020. XIV/514 P. with 13 in-text illustrations, 5 diagrams, 14 tables, 1,390 coin illustrations. Hardcover, stitch binding. Size: A4 22 x 30 cm. ISBN 978-3-98137-192-5. Weight: 2,424 g 95 euros

Numismatist Dr. Hubert Ruß has produced a new standard work cataloging the medieval coins of Würzburg (approx. 900-1495). He provides a detailed monetary history of this period, based on a detailed catalog of 699 coin types. His book is an extensive study of the coinage of one of the most important ecclesiastical authorities in southern Germany. It is also an essential reference work for anybody that is working with or researching the coinage of Würzburg.

The Diocese of Würzburg
Bonifatius is said to have founded the diocese of Würzburg around the year 741/2. He chose a strategically favorable place for the seat of this bishopric located on the river Main. At a time when there weren’t any usable roads in Central Europe, the Main connected the wealthy Bohemia to the hubs of trade and crafts located on the Rhine. This means that Würzburg gained a very high level of political and economic significance. And, for that reason, coins were being minted there from as far back as the Early Middle Ages: the first coins were issued in the name of King Louis the Child (899-911). The first written reference to the minting privilege of the Würzburg bishops dates back to 1030. At that time, the bishops had already been using the mint for a long time, together with the kings and emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. This practice ended with Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor. Since Bishop Erlung (1006-1121), coins in Würzburg were minted almost exclusively by bishops.

New research findings
Hubert Ruß’s standard work presents a monetary history of the Bishopric, based on state-of- the-art research. It contains a wide range of new insights, which are greatly significant for numismatics:

• A range of unpublished coin types and varieties
• A range of previously unknown mints, mint masters, and denominations
• New datings and new attributions of a range of coin types to bishops or rulers
• Record of mint masters and other mint officials mentioned in archival sources
• Two of the mint masters among the Catholic bishops were Jewish
• Record of all European hoards with Würzburg coins, up to 2018
• Evaluation of the archival sources for the Würzburg coin standard, weight and fineness

An easy-to-use reference work
Hubert Ruß has produced a type catalog, describing many never-before published coin types for the first time. Every coin type is cataloged in full with all varieties; the text also provides locations of coins at coin cabinets, auction catalogues, and numismatic literature. Thanks to the multiple concordances, monogram concordance, and extensive register, the catalog and texts are quick and easy to explore, even for impatient users. The book is priced at 95 euros and is available to buy from

Künker Numismatik AG
Löwengrube 12
D-80333 Munich
Tel.: +49 89 5527849 0
service@kuenker-numismatik.de

or from

Fritz Rudolf Künker
Nobbenburger Str. 4a
D-49076 Osnabrück
Tel.: +49 541 96 202 0
service@kuenker.de

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