M. Járó - L. Költő szerk.: Archaeometrical research in Hungary (Budapest, 1988)
Analysis - BAKOS Miklós, BORSZÉKI János: Chemical analysis of silver coins of King St. Stephen
BAKOS Miklós*, BORSZE KIMnos* CHEMICAL ANALYSES OF THE SILVER COINS OF KING ST. STEPHEN Abstract - Four silver coins of the Hungarian King St. Stephen were examined by means of laser-microspectrochemical analysis and compared with the results of the analyses carried out by other authors by means of different methods in various laboratories. The comparison shows that the results correspond well with one another. Furthermore, it appears that the trace element content of all three types of St. Stephen's coins is different, but this problem is to be investigated further. At the request of the Hungarian National Museum, 4 silver coins of the Hungarian King St. Stephen have been examined by means of laser-microspectrochemical analysis (for details see réf. 1). This method is only a semi-quantitative one, if an appropriate etalon series is not available, but the trace elements can also be detected by its usage. Some characteristic data of the investigated coins are given in Table 1. Both of the pieces of catalogue number C.NÜ. I. 7. have the same die diameter, but there is a different design on the obverse as well as on the reverse. This fact indicates that a great quantity of coins were minted - a greater quantity than can be minted using a single die. The results of the analyses are presented in Table 2. In addition to the indicated elements Ca, Mg, Al, Si and Ti were also detected but not listed because they cannot be constituents of the metallic phase, they take their origin from the earth either as adhesive contaminations or as inclusions. The results presented have been derived from the evaluation of three spectra photographed on one another from three different places, therefore they can be considered as good averages. A report on the examination was sent to the Coin Cabinet of the Hungarian National Museum in a letter dated 25 March, 1983. It is not possible to draw general conclusions from the examination of a few coins, however it is remarkable that the C.N.H. I. 5. coin contains relatively much tin and antimony and both of the C.NFL I. 7. coins contain tin and mercury as trace elements. Both of the C.NH. I. 7. coins are very similar to one another but different from the C.N.H. 1. 1. coin and also from C.N H . 1.5. The coins of King St. Stephen were examined earlier too: By means of emission spectrography Káplár [2] examined two coins of catalogue number Dannenberg 1706/a from the hoard of Nagyharsány, one blank silver flan from the same hoard and one C.NJT. 1. 1. coin.He investigated and evaluated only 11 elements. Using the corundum rod - &thizon method Hahn and Mauterer [3] analysed three C.NJL I. 1. coins , two C.NJT. I. 7. ones and the much debated coin with the legend RESLAWA CIV. They determined only four elements and taking their sum as 100% gave the composition of the coins. Kis- Varga and Költő [4] have examined 10 coins of St. Stephen: namely, 2 each of C.N.H. I. 1., C.N.H. I.5.andC.NJl. I. 7. as well as 4 Dannenberg 1706/a coins by means of the non-dispersive X—ray luminescence method using 1-125 isotope as the exciting radiation source. They determined only 10 elements, mentioning Ca, Mg, Al and Si but not taking into account their quantities in the calculation of the composition. Since the inventory numbers or other code numbers allowing the identification of the coins were not given by the Hungarian National Museum, we can compare our results * Veszprém University of Chemical Engineering H-8201 Veszprém, P.O.B. 158.
