COINS OF KINGDOM COME: DELIVERANCE II

On February 11, 2025, Czech videogame developer Warhorse Studios will release the much anticipated sequel to their 2018 action roleplaying game Kingdom Come: Deliverance. The game, set in 15th-century Bohemia, follows the events of the war between King Wenceslaus IV and Sigismund, then King of Hungary. For the sequel, Warhorse Studios will continue the story of the first game and offer players an even richer and more realistic experience, including an expanded map that brings the medieval city of Kutná Hora to life as well as a large playable area in the Bohemian countryside.

This realism is front and center in both games, with local customs, clothing, and architecture well-researched and faithfully presented. Even the game's economic system is based on the coinage of the period – and gamers might be surprised to know that many of these coins are affordable and collectible. In this article, CoinWeek Ancients writer Mike Markowitz provides an important overview of those coins and the historical events surrounding their issue. This deep lore undoubtedly will elevate one's understanding of the game upon its release.

Wenceslaus IV

Wenceslaus IV became King of Bohemia on the death of his father, German Emperor Karl IV, one of the most powerful European monarchs of his time. Wenceslaus (Wenzel in German, Václav in Czech) reigned from 1387 to his death in 1419. He was also Duke of Luxembourg and titular "King of Germany" from 1376 to 1400 (failing to obtain election as Holy Roman Emperor). A weak ruler, he was often in conflict with Bohemian nobles and his younger half-brother Sigismund, King of Hungary. Wenceslaus supported the religious reforms of Hus and his followers, but after he died in 1419, events quickly spiraled out of control.

Gold gulden of Wenceslaus IV, 1378-1419. Auerbach Mint. Value: $15,500.
Image: Sincona AG/CoinWeek.

Wenceslaus issued rare undated gold florins (gulden in German) from the mint of Prague, and a rare gold gulden from Auerbach in Franconia (today part of the German state of Sachsen), which he controlled. On the obverse, St. Wenceslaus holds a banner and a shield emblazoned with the imperial eagle. The Latin inscription ("Wenceslaus, by the Grace of God") continues on the reverse ("King of Bohemia and the Romans") which bears the heraldic lion of Bohemia. Used mainly for foreign trade in luxury goods, gold coinage did not circulate much in Bohemia.

Silver groschen of Wenceslaus IV, 1378-1419. Value: $80. Prague Mint.
Image: Tauler & Fau/CoinWeek.

Wenceslaus issued silver groschen from the mint of Kutná Hora. The obverse bears a stylized crown surrounded by the royal name and title in two concentric lines. On the reverse the coin identifies itself: GROSSI PRAGENSES (groschen of Prague) inscribed around the Bohemian lion. The same mint issued a debased heller weighing just a fraction of a gram that bears the king's facing crowned head on the obverse.

To read the complete article, see:
The Coins of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (https://coinweek.com/the-coins-of-kingdom-come-deliverance-ii/)

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