Medieval Bulgarian coinage were the

coin A coin is a small object, usually round and flat, used primarily as a medium of exchange or legal tender. They are standardized in weight, and produced in large quantities at a mint in order to facilitate trade. They are most often issued by ...

s minted by the Bulgarian Emperors during the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

at the time of the

Second Bulgarian Empire The Second Bulgarian Empire (; ) was a medieval Bulgarians, Bulgarian state that existed between 1185 and 1422. A successor to the First Bulgarian Empire, it reached the peak of its power under Tsars Kaloyan of Bulgaria, Kaloyan and Ivan Asen II ...

. There is no evidence that coins were minted during the

First Bulgarian Empire The First Bulgarian Empire (; was a medieval state that existed in Southeastern Europe between the 7th and 11th centuries AD. It was founded in 680–681 after part of the Bulgars, led by Asparuh of Bulgaria, Asparuh, moved south to the northe ...

, and minting ceased after the fall of the Second Empire with Ottoman domination in 1396. They were

gold Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...

(''perperi''),

silver Silver is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag () and atomic number 47. A soft, whitish-gray, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal. ...

(''aspri''), billon (coinage of silver and copper) and

copper Copper is a chemical element; it has symbol Cu (from Latin ) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-orang ...

coins, all flat and hollow. The inscriptions were usually in

Bulgarian language Bulgarian (; , ) is an Eastern South Slavic, Eastern South Slavic language spoken in Southeast Europe, primarily in Bulgaria. It is the language of the Bulgarians. Along with the closely related Macedonian language (collectively forming the ...

and rarely in

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

. Due to the limited space the inscriptions were abbreviated, often written with a few letters and special signs. Artistically, they continued the

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...

numismatic tradition but the designs were often more schematic. The main means of expression were lines and dots. The Bulgarian coins had images different from the

and Slav coinage, so they form a distinct group. The coins are an important source for the history of the Second Bulgarian Empire.

Ivan Asen II

Tsar

Ivan Asen II Ivan Asen II, also known as John Asen II (, ; 1190s – May/June 1241), was Emperor (Tsar) of Second Bulgarian Empire, Bulgaria from 1218 to 1241. He was still a child when his father Ivan Asen I of Bulgaria, Ivan Asen I one of the founders of th ...

(1218–1241) is the first Bulgarian ruler from whose reign coins are preserved. It is known that his predecessors

Kaloyan Kaloyan or Kalojan, also known as Ivan I, Ioannitsa or Johannitsa (; 1170 – October 1207), the Roman Slayer, was emperor or tsar of Bulgaria from 1196 to 1207. He was the younger brother of Theodor and Asen, who led the anti-Byzantine upr ...

(1197–1207) and Boril (1207–1218) minted imitations of Byzantine coins. Although Kaloyan was given the right to mint coins by

Pope Innocent III Pope Innocent III (; born Lotario dei Conti di Segni; 22 February 1161 – 16 July 1216) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 8 January 1198 until his death on 16 July 1216. Pope Innocent was one of the most power ...

(and Boril inherited the right from him), there are no surviving coins of theirs, and historians assume that Ivan Asen II was the first ruler to actually mint coins. *Gold '' perpera'' - It is the only surviving gold coin, not only of a medieval Bulgarian monarch, but also of any Slavonic ruler of the period. One example was found in 1934 among other coins in the area of Prilep (contemporary

North Macedonia North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. It shares land borders with Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, Kosovo to the northwest and Serbia to the n ...

). It is now in the National Archaeological Museum of the

Bulgarian Academy of Sciences The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (abbreviated BAS; , ''Bŭlgarska akademiya na naukite'', abbreviated БАН) is the National Academy of Bulgaria, established in 1869. The Academy, with headquarters in Sofia, is autonomous and consists of a S ...

. Its weight is 4.33 g, the diameter is 33 mm, and it is made of 16 carat gold. The shape is slightly hollow. On one side Ivan Asen II and Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki are depicted upright. With one of his hands the Saint gives the Emperor a

sword A sword is an edged and bladed weapons, edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter ...

and with the other he is placing a crown on Ivan Asen's head. The inscription is in Bulgarian and abbreviated, and says: "''Ivan Asen, Tsar''" and "''Saint Dimitar''". On the other side of the coin is depicted Christ Pantocrator. The inscription is "''Jesus Christ, Tsar of the Glory''". Due to similarities with the coins of Theodore Komnenos Doukas, it is presumed that the coins might have been minted in the Thessalonica mint, which was at the time under Bulgarian rule. The uniqueness of Ivan Asen's gold ''perpera'' and the peculiarity of its

iconography Iconography, as a branch of art history, studies the identification, description and interpretation of the content of images: the subjects depicted, the particular compositions and details used to do so, and other elements that are distinct fro ...

have led a minority of researchers to doubt its authenticity."Златната монета на Иван Асен ІІ"- статия на Георги Гъбев в електронно списание "Будител" Its peculiarity is the double gesture of Saint Demetrius who simultaneously crowns the Emperor and gives him a sword, an image found in no Byzantine or other Slavonic coins. *Billon coins - There are around one hundred preserved coins of that type. On one side is the image of the Emperor and Saint Demetrius upright and holding a scepter with a star. On the other side is depicted Christ Pantocrator. These coins were probably minted in the Thessalonica mint. Their weight is between 3.00 and 3.08 grams.

Mitso Asen

*Billon coins - On one side is depicted the Emperor in 3/4 length, holding a cross in his left and a scepter in his right hand. On the other side is

Saint Nicholas Saint Nicholas of Myra (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greeks, Greek descent from the maritime city of Patara (Lycia), Patara in Anatolia (in modern-day Antalya ...

in half-length. The inscription "''Saint Nicholas''" is in Greek. The saint is protector of the sailors and was a patron of the Emperor probably because the personal lands of Mitso Asen (1256–1257) included the port of Nesebar and its environs.

Constantine Tikh Asen

The coinage of that ruler is distinguished by its variety, the use of new iconographic types and the precise engraving. *Billon coins :*First type: Obverse - Christ Emanuil; reverse - the Emperor in 3/4 length. :*Second type: Obverse - large Latin Cross; reverse - the Emperor on a throne without back, inscription in Bulgarian "''Konstantin, Tsar Asen''". :*Third type: Obverse - Christ Ubrus and ligature inscription "''Jesus Christ''"; reverse - the Emperor on horseback, inscription in Bulgarian "''Konstantin, Tsar Asen''". For the first time in Bulgarian coins the ruler is depicted on a horse. The iconographic type "Urbus" ( Mandylion) is unique for Byzantine-Slavonic coinage. :*Fourth type: Obverse - Christ Pantocrator; reverse - the Emperor on horseback with inscription in Bulgarian "''Constantine, Tsar Asen''". :*Fifth type: Obverse -

Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...

Hagioritissa; reverse - the Emperor upright holding a scepter in his right hand. Weight - 3,04 g; diameter - 26,25 mm. There are few preserved coins of that type. :*Sixth type: Obverse - Christ Pantocrator; reverse - the Emperor upright. :*Seventh type: Obverse -

Seraph A seraph ( ; pl.: ) is a celestial or heavenly being originating in Ancient Judaism. The term plays a role in subsequent Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Tradition places seraphim in the highest rank in Christian angelology and in the fif ...

with six wings; reverse - half-length portrait of the Emperor holding a labrium in his right hand and a sphere with a cross in his left hand. The depiction of a six-winged seraph is unique for the Medieval Bulgarian coinage. It is still not proved that this type of coin belongs to Constantine Tikh Asen (1257-1277) because the inscription of the preserved item is damaged and only the word "''Tsar''" can be read. Image:Konstantin Asen-coin-coopery 2.JPG, Billon coin depicting a Latin cross Image:Konstantin Asen-coin-coopery 3.jpg, Billon coin depicting Constantine Tikh Asen on a throne Image:Konstantin Asen-coin-coopery.JPG, Billon coin depicting Constantine Tikh Asen on horseback

George I Terter

*Billon coins: Obverse - Christ on a throne; reverse - George I Terter (1280–1292) and his son Theodore Svetoslav as co-emperors. They are upright in full length holding together a flag or a cross.

Theodore Svetoslav

Theodore Svetoslav (1300–1321) was the first Bulgarian ruler who minted silver coins called ''aspra'' (from Greek ''aspron'', meaning "white"). *Silver coins: Frontage - Christ Pantocrator sitting on a throne; reverse - the Emperor upright holding a cross, and inscription in Bulgarian "''Svetoslav, Tsar of the Bulgarians''". Its weight is 1,53 G. There three emissions of that type which differ in the quality of the engraving. *Billon coins: Frontage - large Latin Cross; reverse - the Emperor on a

horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 mi ...

. The depiction resembles that of Constantine Tikh but is without the waving mantle. There are two emissions made by different engravers. The inscriptions are in Bulgarian and abbreviated and say: "''Theodore''" and "''Svetoslav Theodore''". Image:Teodor Svetoslav-coin- coppery 2.jpg, Billon coin depicting Theodore Svetoslav on horseback Image:Teodor Svetoslav-coin-silver.JPG, A silver coin of Theodore Svetoslav

Michael Shishman

*Silver coins: Obverse - Christ Pantocrator sitting on a throne with high back; reverse - the Emperor on horseback, with inscription "''Michael Tsar''". A number of the coins of Michael Shishman (1323–1330) were later re-minted as coins of Ivan Alexander (1331–1371).

Ivan Alexander

*Silver coins: :*First type: Obverse - Christ Pantocrator sitting on a throne; on the reverse, the Emperor upright holding a scepter and a sphere with a cross. There is an inscription in Bulgarian "''Alexander, Tsar of the Bulgarians''". There are several varieties depending on their weight and the engraving. :*Second type: Obverse - Christ upright in full-length, blessing with two hands; reverse - Ivan Alexander and his son Michael Asen together holding a flag. That is the most common Medieval Bulgarian coin which is often discovered during archaeological excavations. The names of the two co-Emperors are written in

monogram A monogram is a motif (visual arts), motif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or other graphemes to form one symbol. Monograms are often made by combining the initials of an individual or a company, used as recognizable symbo ...

s. On some of the coins there are marks of the

Wallachia Wallachia or Walachia (; ; : , : ) is a historical and geographical region of modern-day Romania. It is situated north of the Lower Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians. Wallachia was traditionally divided into two sections, Munteni ...

n Prince Vladislav I. That ruler did not mint his own coins and used the coinage of his suzerain Ivan Alexander, adding his signs. *Copper coins: Some of the copper coins of Ivan Alexander are hollow (''stamini'') and others are flat (''asarioni''). :First type: Obverse - a monogram of Ivan Alexander; reverse - the Emperor on a horse. :Second type: Obverse - a monogram of Ivan Alexander; reverse - the Emperor upright in full length holding a scepter and a sphere with cross. :Third type: Obverse - monograms of the name and the title of Ivan Alexander; on the reverse, the Emperor upright in 3/4 length. :Forth type: Obverse - a depiction of a

castle A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...

with three towers and inscription in Bulgarian "'' Tarnovo''"; on the reverse - Ivan Alexander and his son Michael Asen holding a flag. These are the most common Bulgarian copper coins from the Middle Ages. The stylized image of the capital can be seen only there and is used in the contemporary coat-of-arms of

Veliko Tarnovo Veliko Tarnovo (, ; "Great Tarnovo") is a city in north central Bulgaria and the administrative centre of Veliko Tarnovo Province. It is the historical and spiritual capital of Bulgaria. Often referred to as the "''City of the Tsars''", Velik ...

. :Fifth type: Obverse - a

trident A trident (), () is a three- pronged spear. It is used for spear fishing and historically as a polearm. As compared to an ordinary spear, the three tines increase the chance that a fish will be struck and decrease the chance that a fish will b ...

-shaped monogram resembling the monograms of Michael Shishman; on the reverse, Ivan Alexander and Michael Asen holding together a cross. :Sixth type: Obverse - monograms the name and the title of the monarch; on the reverse - Ivan Alexander and Empress Theodora together holding a cross. There are three varieties of that common coin. :Seventh type: Obverse - Christ Pantocrator on a throne; on the reverse,

Archangel Michael Michael, also called Saint Michael the Archangel, Archangel Michael and Saint Michael the Taxiarch is an archangel and the warrior of God in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The earliest surviving mentions of his name are in third- and second ...

. Due to the lack of the ruler's name it is not proved whether it belongs to Ivan Alexander's coinage. There are theories that it was minted by

Michael II Asen Michael II Asen (; 1239 – December 1256/January 1257) was emperor (tsar) of Bulgaria from 1246 to 1256 or 1257. He was the son of Ivan Asen II and Irene Komnene Doukaina. He succeeded his half-brother, Kaliman I Asen. His mother or other rel ...

. :Eight type: Obverse - a cross with acanthine leaves; on the reverse - Ivan Alexander upright in full length. There are several varieties which differ in the weights and the quality of engraving. :Ninth type: Obverse - a cross with acanthine leaves; on the reverse - a

double-headed eagle The double-headed eagle is an Iconology, iconographic symbol originating in the Bronze Age. The earliest predecessors of the symbol can be found in Mycenaean Greece and in the Ancient Near East, especially in Mesopotamian and Hittite Empire#icon ...

. It is not proven whether these coins belong to Ivan Alexander. The engraving is of high quality. :Tenth type: Obverse - an Orthodox cross; on the reverse, a monogram-trident identical to that in the copper coin of the Emperor and his son Michael Asen.

Michael Asen

*Silver coins: :*First type: Obverse - Christ on a throne; on the reverse - Michael Asen and

Saint Stephen Stephen (; ) is traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first martyr of Christianity."St ...

upright holding a flag. The coin somewhat resembles the Venetian

ducat The ducat ( ) coin was used as a trade coin in Europe from the later Middle Ages to the 19th century. Its most familiar version, the gold ducat or sequin containing around of 98.6% fine gold, originated in Venice in 1284 and gained wide inter ...

s. The names of the Prince and the Saint are written in different ways in the different varieties of the coin. The weight is from 1.40 g to 1.90 g. :*Second type: Obverse - Christ on a throne; on the reverse - Michael Asen and his wife Irina holding a flag. According to some researchers, the coins are from Michael II Asen and his mother Irina Komnina. There are two varieties of that coin. In the second variety Michael Asen and his wife hold a cross instead of a flag. The inscription is in Bulgarian and says "''Irina Tsaritsa, Mihail Tsar''". The weight varies from 1,50 G to 1,80 G. *Copper coins: :*First type: Obverse - Bust of Christ Pantocrator; on the reverse - Michael Asen upright in full length with inscription in Bulgarian "''Mihail Tsar''". That coin in considered as part of Michael Asen's coinage due to the similarities of the engraving technique with the coins of Ivan Alexander. :*Second type: Obverse - monogram-trident; on the reverse, Michael Asen on a horse. According to some research, the coin is of Michael Shishman.

Sources

*"Българските средновековни монети" - Стоян Авдев, издателство "БЕСИКЕ", София 2007 г. *"Българските монети" - Христо Божков, Венцислав Пейков, издателство "Борина", София 1993 г.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Medieval Bulgarian Coins

Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...

Numismatics

Coins A coin is a small object, usually round and flat, used primarily as a medium of exchange or legal tender. They are standardized in weight, and produced in large quantities at a mint in order to facilitate trade. They are most often issued by ...

Economic history of Bulgaria