Barbarossa Bracteate – A Small Medieval Coin with a Great Story
Price range: € 0,70 through € 0,75
Barbarossa Bracteate – A Small Medieval Coin with a Great Story
Small coin. Great story.
Bracteates were among the most common small coins of the High Middle Ages. The originals were struck from extremely thin sheets of silver, creating a distinctive appearance where the reverse side was simply the negative impression of the obverse.
Our version preserves this characteristic look while offering a more durable and practical interpretation for LARP, RPGs, medieval pouches, and everyday gaming use.
Unlike the fragile historical originals, this replica is designed to withstand years of adventures while retaining the authentic spirit of medieval bracteates.
Coin Specifications
- Diameter: 19 mm
- Weight: approximately 2 g
- Material: metal alloy
- Finishes: Silver Patina / Copper Patina
- Style: inspired by historical medieval bracteates
- Suitable for: medieval pouches, LARP, RPG, reenactment
Barbarossa Bracteate – A Small Medieval Coin with a Great Story
Small coin. Great story.
Bracteates were among the most common small coins of the High Middle Ages. The originals were struck from extremely thin sheets of silver, creating a distinctive appearance where the reverse side was simply the negative impression of the obverse.
Our version preserves this characteristic look while offering a more durable and practical interpretation for LARP, RPGs, medieval pouches, and everyday gaming use.
Unlike the fragile historical originals, this replica is designed to withstand years of adventures while retaining the authentic spirit of medieval bracteates.
The Smallest Coin in a Medieval Economy
Bracteates were the coins of everyday life – the money of merchants, pilgrims, craftsmen, and villagers.
That makes this coin an ideal lowest denomination for fantasy and historical game economies, market stalls, taverns, and adventurers’ purses.
It works perfectly alongside groschen, florins, and talers, creating a believable medieval monetary system.
What could one brektat buy?
The exact purchasing power varied by place and time, but brektats were among the small coins of everyday life.
For a single brektat, one could buy, for example:
- a loaf of bread,
- a mug of beer or wine in a pub,
- a bowl of porridge or a simple meal in the market place,
- a night’s accommodation in the common room of an inn,
- a candle, needle or other small item,
- a fee for entering a bridge or city gate.
This was not the money of kings or wealthy merchants.
These were coins that circulated every day among market traders, pilgrims, craftsmen and villagers.
And what about 100 brektats?
A bag with a hundred brektats already represented an interesting asset. For such an amount, it was possible to:
- buy food supplies for several weeks,
- purchase a simple weapon or tool,
- pay for several weeks of labor for a day laborer,
- or spend a very cheerful evening in many a medieval tavern.
Coin Specifications
- Diameter: 19 mm
- Weight: approximately 2 g
- Material: metal alloy
- Finishes: Silver Patina / Copper Patina
- Style: inspired by historical medieval bracteates
- Suitable for: medieval pouches, LARP, RPG, reenactment
Na tržišti – Braektat Fridrich Barbarossa
The Last Small Coin
Rain drummed against the market awnings as the marketplace slowly fell silent.
Merchants packed their wares. Farmhands drove pigs toward their pens. An old woman by the bridge counted the final coins of the day.
Groschen.
Pfennigs.
One silver florin.
And then the little bracteate.
She smiled.
“Hardly anyone carries these anymore.”
The coin was light as a leaf. On one side was the emperor’s face; on the other, its shallow mirror image, like a fading memory.
Once, a similar coin had bought her a loaf of bread.
Today, it would not even pay for a mug of ale.
Yet she kept it.
Some coins are worth less than the metal they were struck from.
And yet somehow, people can never bring themselves to spend them.
Doprava a doručení
Zasíláme do celého světa z Prahy.
📦 Cena dopravy
Cena dopravy je fixní.
Protože je cena dopravy fixní, větší objednávky proto nabízejí výrazně lepší poměr ceny za minci.
Můžete vybrat dopravu kurýrem na adresu nebo Zásilkovnou do boxu nebo na výdejní místo.
V ČR a na Slovensku je možné platit i dobírkou.
Je možné vyzvednout objednávku i u nás ve skladu v Praze 6 Dejvicích a zaplatit na místě.
🚚 Dodací lhůta
Snažíme se posílat během 1-2 dnů a doprava pak trvá většinou 2 dni.
📬 Způsob dopravy
v ĆR a na Slovensku používáme nejraději Zásilkovnu nebo PPL.
Sledování je zajištěno pro všechny objednávky.
Identity
Verwenden Sie Silbergroschen als Standardwährung,
Gold für hohe Werte,
patiniertes Silber für Münzen mit niedrigem Wert.
Design
Specifications
Usage
RPG
Brettspiele und andere Spiele
Film- und Theaterrequisiten
Themenmärkte und ähnliche Veranstaltungen
Themen-Kinderlager
FAQ
Is the Barbarossa Bracteate double-sided?
Yes.
Unlike historical bracteates, which were struck from extremely thin silver sheets and displayed a negative impression on the reverse, our replica is a fully double-sided metal coin.
It still preserves the characteristic appearance of original bracteates.
Is it an exact replica of the original?
The design is based on a historical bracteate of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa.
However, our version is significantly more robust than the original thin silver coin. It has been adapted for gaming, LARP, collecting, and everyday handling.
Why is the coin so small?
Intentionally.
Bracteates were small coins of everyday life. In our collection they serve as the ideal lowest denomination – perfect for buying bread, ale, lodging, or small goods at a medieval market.
How much does one coin weigh?
Approximately 2 grams.
How does the coin feel in hand?
Lightweight, yet unmistakably metallic.
Its compact size makes it easy to carry in larger quantities, making it perfect for pouches, treasure chests, and game economies.
Is it suitable for LARP?
Absolutely.
The coin was specifically designed for LARP and game economies. Its low value makes it ideal as everyday currency in markets, taverns, festivals, and fantasy settlements.
Can it be used in LARP combat?
Technically, yes.
Historically, however, bracteates were mainly used to pay for bread, ale, and taxes. We recommend continuing that tradition. 🙂
Is it a historical replica or a fantasy coin?
It is a historical replica inspired by an authentic bracteate of Frederick Barbarossa.
Its dimensions, material, and construction have been adapted to make it practical for games, collecting, and regular use.
Can it be given as a gift?
Certainly.
Its unusual appearance makes it popular among collectors, medieval enthusiasts, and tabletop RPG players.
Is the coin magnetic?
No.
How durable is the finish?
Under normal use, very durable.
The coin is designed to withstand carrying in pouches, frequent handling, and extensive use during games.
Is the bracteate useful in a game economy?
Definitely.
If you are creating your own currency system, the bracteate makes an excellent lowest denomination. It allows for realistic small transactions and creates a far more believable economy than using only large-value coins.
Can it be used as real money or an investment?
No – although you are welcome to try. We suspect your local innkeeper may prefer modern currency. 🙂
Bracteates disappeared from circulation centuries ago.
This coin is intended for gaming, collecting, reenactment, and historical or fantasy props.
What is a bracteate?
A bracteate is a type of medieval coin struck from an extremely thin sheet of silver.
They were especially common in the German lands during the 12th and 13th centuries. Because of their low value and widespread circulation, ordinary people encountered them far more often than the gold coins of emperors and kings.
Bezpečnostní upozornění
Tato mince není hračka.
Nevhodné pro děti do 3 let – hrozí nebezpečí polknutí (malé části).
Ukládejte mimo dosah malých dětí.
Doplňková bezpečnostní doporučení
-
Mince je kovová a může být těžší než běžné plastové žetony.
-
Nepoužívat jako předmět k házení či úderu.
-
Nežvýkat, nevkládat do úst.
-
Nevhodné pro děti do 3 let bez dohledu dospělého.
Údržba a čištění mince
Běžné čištění
-
Otřít suchým nebo mírně navlhčeným měkkým hadříkem.
-
Pokud je patina výraznější, použít jemný mýdlový roztok a opět důkladně osušit.
-
Nepoužívat abrazivní prostředky nebo drátěnky — mohou poškodit povrchovou úpravu.
Co s mincí nedělat
-
Nenechávat dlouhodobě ve vlhku (prodloužíš životnost patiny i povrchu).
-
Nevystavovat agresivním chemikáliím (čisticí spreje, kyseliny, aceton, odlakovač).
-
Nedávat do myčky — teplo a tlak vody ničí povrchovou úpravu.
-
Nenechávat ve slané vodě (korozivní prostředí).
-
Nedávat do kapes společně s klíči — rychle poškrábou povrch.
Dlouhodobé skladování
-
Skladovat v suchu.
-
Ideálně ponechat v sáčku, krabičce nebo obálce.
Mince jsme původně vytvářeli pro naše hry (http://cestycasem.cz), Pražské groše speciálně Interregnum 1313 alias Krvavé časy http://interregnum.cz
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