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Huszár 569, Pohl 114-7, Unger 443g, Réthy II 116, Frynas H.26.4
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Hungary. Maria/Mária (1382-1387 solo reign; 1387-1395 with husband Sigismund/Zsigmond of Luxembourg)
AR denar, .53 g., 15.46 mm. max., 0°
Obv: + mARIE • D • R VnGARIE [antiqua-style letters A with interior bars], Open crown with iS below
Rev: + mOnETA mARIE • R • V [antiqua-style letters A with interior bars], Patriarchal cross
As both sides carry a titular legend, there is no consensus regarding obverse and reverse. The fullest legend on the side identified by Huszár and Pohl as the obverse (the side with the crown) is + mARIE D G R VnGARIE (although most coins are missing at least the first G). The fullest legend on the side identified by Unger, Réthy, Frynas and Gyöngyössy as the obverse (the side with the patriarchal cross) is + mOnETA mARIE R V. Since the letters R V are so often omitted from the cross side, Toma accepts the crown side as the obverse.
The type was struck in 1384-1395 (per Huszár, with Unger and Frynas agreeing that it incepted in 1384) or in 1385-1395 (per Pohl), and is traditionally viewed as the last of three denarii struck by Maria. More recently, it has been viewed as the second type struck by her (after Huszár 565 and before Huszár 566), in 1383-1385 (per Gyöngyössi and Toma). This coin, with letters Is privy mark below the crown, was tentatively struck in Pozsony/Istropolis/Pressburg, now Bratislava, Slovakia, in 1386-1395 (per Pohl).
Toma notes fifteen legend variations among 45 coins of this type within the Cluj-Mănăştur Hoard, found in Cluj-Napoca, Romania (formerly, Kolozsvár, Hungary), in 1934. They differ mainly in terms of completeness of legends, spelling of the queen's name, presence of pellets, and the styles of the letter A. Coins with this privy mark (Pohl 114-6) are not represented in the hoard. They are also not represented in Gyöngyössy. This legend variation is not recorded by Toma.
Toma further notes four versions of the crown and four versions of the patriarchal cross. There are six obverse/reverse design combinations appearing among 41 coins in the hoard. The design combination on this coin appears to be Toma C/a (crown C is linked only with cross a).
Huszár/Pohl rarity 5, Frynas rarity C. The legend combination described/depicted in Huszár and Pohl; in Unger and Réthy, and in Frynas, all differ.
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