АКТУАЛЬНІ ПИТАННЯ ОБІГУ ПРАЗЬКОГО ГРОША В УКРАЇНІ
ACTUAL QUESTIONS OF THE CIRCULATION OF THE PRAGUE GROSZ IN UKRAINE

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the study. In Ukrainian numismatics the attention was paid to show the finds of Prague grosz in the publications of topographies of single finds and treasures, to study coins with countermarks and counterfeited coins. The cutting of the Prague grosz in Galicia was studied separately. Prague grosz spread almost immediately in Poland and Prussia, through Galicia it reached Podillia, Volhynia and Polissia, through Transcarpathia it reached Hungary and Moldova particularly using river trade routes and focusing on salt mining cities and trade centers. The chronology of the arrival of Czech coins can be conditionally divided into three main periods: initial – before the beginning of the mass arrival of coins (1378–1419); being in circulation mainly coins of Vaclav IV (1378–1419); the final period – getting into treasures together with coins of the 16th–18th centuries. Finds of early Bohemian coins are the rarest. Most of the finds of Prague grosz of Wenceslas II (1300–1305) and John I of Luxembourg (1340–1346) were fixed on the territory of Western Ukraine. The presence of Wenceslas II coins in the later hoards may be caused by those coins that remained in circulation in the middle of the 14th century entering the deposits together with coins of later rulers. During the time of Jan I of Luxemburg, minting of the gold coin – the florin – was resumed in Kutnia Hora. The most numerous Bohemian coins in the European finds are the coins of Charles I (1346–1378) and Wenceslas IV (1378–1419). Mass receipts of Czech coins are observed in the 1380s – at the beginning of In the 1400s, the coins of Wenceslas IV and his predecessors were in circulation for decades until they were almost completely erased, while the issuer itself did not play a role in the coin for the majority of the population – the Prague grosz was perceived as a unit of silver. The Prague grosz of George from Podebrad (1457–1471) practically did not take part in monetary circulation. Coins of Wladyslaw II (1490–1516) were recorded in the Volyn finds as part of treasures with gold ducats. During the reign of Ludovicus I, a new mint was opened in Joachimsthal in 1518, but Prague grosz was minted until 1526. Coins of Ferdinand I (1526–1564) are more typical of later hoards. In most cases, small treasures with Prague grosz were near 100 pieces, which indicates the use of the coin by broad sections of the population in everyday life. An interesting feature of treasures with Prague grosz is determined by the number of coins – the copa – 60 coins, or a half-copa – 30 coins. Treasures with coins of the Golden Horde deserve special attention, which is invested in the study of the eastern way of further promotion of Bohemian coins. The finds with early Lithuanian coins and Kyiv coins of Volodymyr Olherdovich, as well as hryvnia ingots of various types, are particularly interesting, which helps to study more carefully the chronology of the use of hryvnias in circulation. As for the finds of Prague grosz in the Muscovite region, it is most likely that their arrival in the East can be attributed to the third chronological period of the spread of the Prague grosz – together with the later coins of the XVI–XVII centuries, the Prague grosz clearly did not reproduce its own distinct features of circulation in this territory. Fragments of the Prague grosz were often used in monetary circulation to make trade deals more flexible – they end up both as part of treasures and as single finds. Two broken halves of the same coin can often be found in one treasure. The metal composition of the coins corresponds to deposit silver, the main impurity of the precious metal is copper, stable impurities are bismuth and lead. The period of overprinting is from the last decades of the 15th century to the beginning of the 16th century (1370–1510). Coins with countermarks from the German cities of Ulm, Augsburg, Salzburg, and Regensburg, as well as the Czech cities of Prague, Brno, and Iglau, are the most common among those discovered in Ukraine. The reason for the presence of several countermarks on the coins at once may be the desire of German cities to create a currency unions and to approve the Prague grosz at the local level. Traditionally, the process of minting Prague grosz is associated with a loss in the quality of the metal of later issues of Prague grosz, as well as with the beginning of minting coins in Lviv. Trimmed Prague grosz up to a diameter of 20 mm was trimmed more like the silver coins of the Golden Horde in order to bring it closer to the weight standard of Horde coins of Khan Uzbek (1312–1342) or Janibek (1342–1357). In Ukrainian numismatic historiography, there are practically any works on the introduction into scientific circulation of new varieties of the Prague grosz, the study of the varieties of the legend and the image of a lion with crowns. Counterfeiters has produced and tried to put into circulation the coins imitating Prague grosz of the most mass issue – the time of the reign of John I of Luxembourg and Wencesluas IV(III). The Conclusions. Despite the numerous scientific publications and study of the circulation of the Prague grosz in Ukraine, despite the obviousness of many aspects of the role of this coin, there are certain issues that require clarification and more careful attention of researchers in further scientific research on this topic. These are, in particular: research and thorough analysis of treasures of Prague grosz with coins of other issuers and especially hryvnia ingots, identification and introduction into scientific circulation of new undescribed stamp varieties of Prague grosz, based on materials from museum collections; clarifying the role of late Prague grosz and introducing their finds into scientific circulation; the finds of Prague grosz in regions already remote from the main area of distribution deserve special attention.

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