Béla IV (1235-1270). Huszár 69; Toth-Kiss 22.10.1.1 sigla 0.1/1; Unger 101; Réthy I 263-264; Frynas H.11.9; Lengyel 18/14; Adamovszky A219

Attributed to Béla IV (1235-1270) by Toth-Kiss, Réthy and Lengyel, but to Béla III (1172-1196) by Huszár, Unger, Adamovszky and Gyöngyössy (who dates the coin to approximately 1190), and tentatively attributed to Béla III by Frynas. The reattribution back to Bela IV is based on stylistic considerations and the large number of them found in hoards from the time of the Mongol invasion.

AR denar (average .26 g., 11.5-11.8 mm.); .25 g., 11.86 mm. max., 180°

Obv: B-ELA-REX, surrounding patriarchal cross within shield.

Rev: Cross between two annulet’s, below that X-X within a horizontal beam, stars to its sides, below that pellets within a longer horizontal beam, below that five columns of wedges and pellets, below that crescent between two annulets.

The coins of Béla IV were issued with an average fineness of .800 and “later” .900, per Huszár at 11.

Huszár rarity 5, Toth-Kiss rarity 20. Unger value 12 DM, Frynas rarity N