Banovac

Coin of Andrew II of Hungary,[1] or Béla IV of Hungary.[2]

Banovac, banski denar or banica is a coin struck and used in the Kingdom of Croatia between 1235 and 1384,[2] replacing the Croatian frizatik (which was also minted by Duke of Slavonia).[3] The Latin name denarius banalis was derived from the words ban ("viceroy") and denarius.[4]

The coins were first minted in Pakrac, and from 1260 in Zagreb.[3] They were well made, of quality silver, because of which became common exchange currency in Central Europe.[3] There exist some 400 types and sub-types of banovac.[5]

Banovac included on obverse the image of a marten (Croatian: kuna) between two six-pointed stars (inspired by moving leopard/lion from frizatiks and duke's CoA[1]), due to the fact that marten pelts were highly valued goods used as a form of payment in Slavonia (marturina).[5] This was one of the reasons for naming the former currency of the Republic of Croatia the kuna (used 1994–2023).[6] On the reverse included image of Patriarchal cross#Hungary, in upper part crescent and star (symbol), and lower part two crowned heads facing each other.[5]

The legends are:

  • MONETA REGIS P SCLAVONIA (common)
  • MONETA B REGIS P SCLAVONIA (moneta Belae regis pro sclavonia, scarce)
  • MONETA DVCIS P SCLAVONIA (scarce)
  • MONETA REGIS P VNGARIA (rare)

Initials on the Árpád Dynasty coins are:

  • King Bela IV (1235–1270):
  • King Stephen V (1270–1272)
    • S - R (Stephanus Rex),
    • R - S (Rex Stephanus)
  • King Ladislaus IV (1272–1290)
    • R - L (Rex Ladislaus),
    • L - R (Ladislaus Rex),
    • S - L (Ban Stephanus Babonich - Rex Ladislaus, 1280-1282?),
    • R - R - L (Ban Radoszlav - Rex Ladislaus, 1286–1288)
  • King Andrew III (1290–1301)
    • R - A (Rex Andreas),
    • A - R (Andreas Rex),
    • S - A (Ban Stephanus Babonich - Rex Andreas, 1300–1301),
    • R - bird (Rex Andreas - Ban Stephanus Babonich, 1300–1301),
    • A - bird (Rex Andreas - Ban Stephanus Babonich, 1300–1301)

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Božić, Mate; Ćosić, Stjepan (2017). "Nastanak hrvatskih grbova: Podrijetlo, povijest i simbolika od 13. do 16. stoljeća". Gordogan (in Croatian). Vol. 15, no. 34. Novi Gordogan, udruga za kulturu, Zagreb. pp. 22–68. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  2. ^ a b Croatian Encyclopaedia (2013), banovac, retrieved 10 January 2025
  3. ^ a b c Milinović, Ante (2002). "Hrvatska novčarska baština". Hrvatska revija (in Croatian). No. 2. Matica hrvatska. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  4. ^ Štefan, Luka (2019). "Moneta regis pro Sclavonia from the Mekiš-Zgruti hoard". Vjesnik. 52 (1). Zagreb Archaeological Museum: 179–212. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  5. ^ a b c Benažić, Aleksandar (2017). "Simbolika hrvatskih banovaca". Numizmatičke Vijest (in Croatian). 59 (70). Croatian Numismatic Society: 137–156. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  6. ^ Jareb, Mario (2022). "Kuna kao simbol novčane vrijednosti i heraldički znamen u prošlosti i sadašnjosti". Povijesni prilozi (in Croatian). 41 (62). Croatian Institute of History: 5–45. doi:10.22586/pp.v41i62.21810. Retrieved 10 January 2025.