Folia archeologica 47.
István Gedai: Egy 13. századi pénzhamisító műhely
A FORGERS' WORKSHOP 133 36/ 0.67 11.15 82.00 16.60 0.75 0.62 37/ 0.82 11.37 89.50 9.12 0.90 0.47 38/ 0.65 11.05 79.90 18.70 0.80 0.59 39/ 0.57 10.48 92.10 6.40 0.80 0.70 For the evaluation of the forged coins and the planchets prepared in all probability for coining, data on three original CNH I. 309 type mints are given below: Nr. Weight Specific Silver Copper Gold Lead Bismuth (g) weight (wt %) (wt %) (wt %) (wt %) 1/ 0.86 7.65 91.00 6.00 0.87 2.10 + 2/ 0.67 10.74 93.00 4.50 0.76 1.67 + 3/ 0.40 11.75 95.40 2.50 0.87 1.05 + First, let us analyse the denar / obulus relations according to the weight data. In the opinion of Bálint Hóman, Nr. 51. In the Supplement of CNH I. was the denar and Nr. 309 of CNH I. is the obulus belonging to this value 5 . This opinion was accepted also by Lajos Huszár 6. On the basis of the average weight of three exemplars, Hóman defined weight of the obulus as 0.498 g. He did not publish the weight values of the denar (CNH I. 308 A = CNH I. Supplement 51), in spite of the fact that already in the time of Hóman there were 3 exemplars in the collection of the Hungarian National Museum. After this, further 2 pieces were obtained by the Museum. Weight data of these are: the 3 pieces obtained in 1875 are 0.63 g, 0.62 g and 0.50 g, respectively, while the 2 pieces obtained in 1918 are 0.66 g and 0.49 g. These weight data render the separation of denars from obuli impossible. It is certain that on the basis of diameter the 3 pieces of CNH I. 309 and the 5 CNH I. Supplement 51 can be separated. The average weight of the 3 pieces of CNH I 309 is 0.64 g, with the extreme value of the 0,86; it is impossible to accept as obulus when more heavy than all the denars. The average obulus weight value published by Hóman as 0.498 is strange because in the times of Hóman, there were 2 pieces of CNH I. 309 in the National Museum, the average weight of which would be 0.63 g. The average weight of the five CNH I. Supplement 51 in the Museum would be 0.58, i.e., lower than the average weight of the "obuli" CNH I. 309. Though it is not the subject of the present study, the problem of the lability of conclusions drawn on the basis of the weight data of Arpád-dynasty coinage should be raised here. Weight data of the same coin types show such a high variance that assigning denars and obuli seems arbitrary. Calculating average weights, practically we can never find the theoretical ratio 1 denar = 2 obuli. Speaking about counterfeits, the results of material analyses are specially important. Both coins and planchets are made of the main components silver and copper. The presence of gold can be explained, most probably by imperfect metallurgical techniques: gold could not be completely extracted from silver. Lead can also be considered as accessory element, while bismuth occurs wherever it does as trace element. The lack of bismuth appearing in some specimens, however, is an important phenomenon denoting that the planchets were made of different cast5 Hóman, 1916, 306-307. 6 Huszár, 1979, No. 279-280. 7 Gedai, 1986, 47.
