Serbian medieval coins

King Stefan Tomasevic Kotromanic (Despot of Serbia 1459 and king of Serbs in Western Sides, Coast and medieval Bosnia 1461-1463)

Silver "helmet" type. 18mm, 1.089g.

Obverse: Crowned helmet over coat of arms. Latin description: +STEFAN CRAGL (STEFAN KING) around. Lily on the left and double star on the right.

Reverse: Saint Gregory standing with cardinal's hat and long staff. Latin description: S GREGORI PAPE  (SAINT GREGORY PAPA) around.

Reference: Ren 1133 (type I), J 247, Jov 62-2, LJ XVII-14.

Comment: He took over Bosnia after his fathers death in 1461. Killed on 25th May 1463 near Jajce which marked end of the Kingdom of Bosnia. 

King Stefan Tomasevic has inherited kingdom and Nemanjic Serbian royal title and crown from his father and a long line of kings starting from 1377 with King Tvrtko I, great grandson of Serbian king Stefan Dragutin Nemanjic. Tvrtko I joined former parts of Serbian empire, western parts and southern sea coast with Banovina Bosnia into a new Serbian kingdom.

A lily on the left Serbian royal and imperial symbol.

King Stefan Tomasevic (Despot of Serbia 1459 and king of Serbs in Western Sides, Coast and medieval Bosnia 1461-1463)

Silver "helmet" type. 18mm, 1.180g.

Obverse: Coat of arms within circle represented by crowned helmet over shield. Latin description: + STEPAN • CRAGL (STEFAN KING) around. R on the left and double star on the right.

Reverse: Saint Gregory standing with cardinal's hat and long staff. Latin description: S GREGO RI • PAPE (SAINT GREGORY PAPA) around.

Reference: Ren 1133, Jov 62-2, LJ XVII-14.

Comment: Very rare beautiful coin with lovely natural patina with amazing detail and high grade.

He was son of king Stefan Tomas Kotromanic 1443-1461, grandson of Stefan Ostoja Kotromanic (1398-1404 and 1409-1418). His great grandfather was Vladislav who was a younger son of Stefan I, Ban of Bosnia and Elizabeth, daughter of Serbian King Stefan Dragutin of the Nemanjić dynasty. Elizabeth gave his son brothers name who we know in history as Vladislav II king of Serbia 1321-1324.

There are only 17 registered examples.

This one is one of the most beautiful!

Came from well known Blaschegg Collection.

King Stefan Tomasevic (Despot of Serbia 1459 and king of Serbs in Western Sides, Coast and medieval Bosnia 1461-1463)

Silver "helmet" type. 18mm, 0.932g.

Obverse: Coat of arms within circle represented by crowned helmet over shield. Latin description: + STEPAN • CRAGL (STEFAN KING) around. R on the left and double star on the right.

Reverse: Saint Gregory standing with cardinal's hat and long staff. Latin description: S GREGO RI • PAPE (SAINT GREGORY PAPA) around.

Reference: Ren 1133, Jov 62-2, LJ XVII-14.

Comment: Very rare beautiful coin with lovely natural patina. Dot on the right side of the helmet and shield is positioned higher up.

By marrying Jelena Branković who later became Maria (also known as Mara 1447-1500), eldest daughter of the Despot of Serbia Lazar Branković, third son of Djuradj Branković, in April 1459 he became ruler of Serbian Despotate as well. Same year, few month later, he lost Despotate and fled back to Bosnia. That marked the end of Serbian Despotate.

King Stefan Tomasevic Kotromanic (Despot of Serbia 1459 and king of Serbs in Western Sides, Coast and medieval Bosnia 1461-1463)

Silver "helmet" type. 18mm, 0.957g.

Obverse: Crowned helmet over coat of arms. Latin description: +STEFAN CRAGL (STEFAN KING) around. R on the left and double star on the right.

Reverse: Saint Gregory standing with cardinal's hat and long staff. Latin description: S GREGORI PAPE  (SAINT GREGORY PAPA) around.

Reference: Ren 1133 (type I), J 247, Jov 62-2, LJ XVII-14.

Comment: In 1888, the archaeologist Ćiro Truhelka excavated bones in a settlement close to Jajce known as Kraljev Grob (King's Tomb) and found the skeleton of a decapitated adult male. Though there is no direct evidence that these are the remains of Stefan Tomašević, folk tradition and circumstantial evidence have led to the conclusion that they are. The bones were placed in a glass coffin, and have since been housed in the Franciscan monastery in Jajce. 

Possible contemporary counterfeit. 

There are only 17 registered examples.

King Stefan Tomasevic (Despot of Serbia 1459 and king of Serbs in Western Sides, Coast and medieval Bosnia 1461-1463)

Silver "helmet" type. 18mm, 1.107g.

Obverse: Coat of arms within circle represented by crowned helmet over shield. Latin description: + STEPAN • CRAGL (STEFAN KING) around. R on the left and double star on the right.

Reverse: Saint Gregory standing with cardinal's hat and long staff. Latin description: S GREGO RI • PAPE (SAINT GREGORY PAPA) around.

Reference: Ren 1133, Jov 62-2, LJ XVII-14.

Comment: Very rare beautiful coin with lovely natural patina. Small circle around going through letter R and a double star.

King Stefan Tomasevic (Despot of Serbia 1459 and king of Serbs in Western Sides, Coast and medieval Bosnia 1461-1463)

Silver "helmet" type. 18mm, 1.069g.

Obverse: Crowned helmet over coat of arms. Latin legend: +STEPAN • CRAGL (STEFAN KING) around. R on the left and double star on the right.

Reverse: Saint Gregory standing with cardinal's hat and long staff. Latin legend around: S GREGORI • PAPE.

Reference: Ren 1133, Jov 62 2.1, J 62 2, LJ XVII-14.

Comment: Lovely natural patina and detail. 

Four years later, in 1463 Ottoman army invaded Bosnia as well. He was killed by Turks who promised him that he would be done no harm if he surrendered and even sent him a document guaranteeing him freedom but after surrender they beheaded him on 25th May 1463 near place called Jajce. That marked the end of the Kingdom of Bosnia.

There are only 17 registered examples.

Charter of King Stefan Tomašević to Dubrovnik, November 25th, 1461

ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE CHARTER:

"BY THE MERCY OF GOD, WE MR. STEPHAN, KING OF THE SERBS, IN THE BOSNIA, THE COAST AND THE SURROUNDING AREA, MAY IT BE KNOWN TO EVERY PERSON TO WHOM IT CONCERNED. WITH THIS OUR OPEN LIST, AS WE PROMISED TO OUR DEAR AND CERTAIN FRIENDS, THE PRINCE AND THE NOBLEMEN AND ALL MUNICIPALITY, THE GOVERNMENT OF DUBROVNIK, FOR THAT SILVER, WHICH WAS TAKEN BY MY PARENT, LORD KING TOMAS - THREE HUNDRED AND FIVE LITERS AND EIGHT OUNCES. AND OF THAT ONE HUNDRED LITER WAS PAID TO THE TRADERS. THEREFORE, I, LORD KING STIPAN, GAVE THEM MY WORD AND PROMISED, THAT WHAT MY PARENT, LORD KING TOMAS, DID NOT PAY THEM, TWO HUNDRED FIVE LITERS AND EIGHT OUNCES OF SILVER - THAT I, LORD KING STIPAN, WILL PAY THEM OUT FROM MY CHAMBER, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, TO THE PRINCE AND NOBLEMEN OR TO WHOM THEY TELL, OR WHOEVER THEY SEND. AND WE HAVE ORDERED THEM TO BE SEALED WITH OUR MIDDLE LEGAL SEAL. WRITTEN IN JAJCE, ON THE TWENTY-FIFTH DAY OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, 1461, FROM THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. AND DIAK BRANOS WROTE, BY COMMAND OF MY LORD, LORD KING STIPAN."

СРПСКИ ПРЕВОД ПОВЕЉЕ:

"МИЛОШЋУ БОЖИЈОМ, МИ ГОСПОДИН ШТЕФАН СТЕПАН, КРАЉ СРБИМА, БОСНЕ, ПРИМОРЈА И ОКОЛИНЕ, ДА ЈЕ ЗНАНО СВАКОМ ЧОВЕКУ, КОГА СЕ ТИЧЕ. ОВИМ НАШИМ ОТВОРЕНИМ ЛИСТОМ, КАКО СМО ОБЕЋАВАЛИ НАШИМ ДРАГИМ И СРДАЧНИМ ПРИЈАТЕЉИМА КНЕЗУ И ВЛАСТЕЛИ И СВОЈ ОПШТИНИ ВЛАСТИ ДУБРОВАЧКЕ, ЗА ОНО СРЕБРО, КОЈЕ ЈЕ УЗЕО ГОСПОДИН РОДИТЕЉ МИ, ГОСПОДИН КРАЉ ТОМАШ – ТРИСТА ПЕТ ЛИТРИ И ОСАМ УНЧИ. А ОД ТОГА ЈЕ ТРГОВЦИМА ИСПЛАЋЕНО СТО ЛИТАРА. СТОГА САМ ИМ ЈА, ГОСПОДИН КРАЉ СТИПАН, ДАО МОЈУ РЕЧ ГОСПОДСКУ И ОБЕЋАО, ДА ОНО ШТО ИМ НИЈЕ ИСПЛАТИО РОДИТЕЉ МИ, ГОСПОДИН КРАЉ ТОМАШ, ДВЕСТА ПЕТ ЛИТАРА И ОСАМ УНЧИ СРЕБРА – ДА ЋУ ЈА, ГОСПОДИН КРАЉ СТИПАН, ДА ИМ ИСПЛАТИМ ИЗ МОЈЕ КОМОРЕ, ШТО ПРЕ БУДЕ МОГУЋЕ, КНЕЗУ И ВЛАСТЕЛИ ИЛИ КОМЕ ОНИ КАЖУ, ИЛИ КОГА ПОШАЉУ. И НАРЕДИЛИ СМО ДА СЕ ЗАПЕЧАТИ НАШИМ СРЕДЊИМ ЗАКОНИТИМ ПЕЧАТОМ. ПИСАНО У ЈАЈЦУ, ДВАДЕСЕТ ПЕТОГ ДАНА, МЕСЕЦА НОВЕМБРА 1461. ГОДИНЕ ОД РОЂЕЊА ХРИСТОВОГ. А ПИСА ДИЈАК БРАНОШ, ПО ЗАПОВЕСТИ ГОСПОДИНА МИ, ГОСПОДИНА КРАЉА СТИПАНА."

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