W. C a r e w H a z l i t t Coinage of the European Continent

Catalogue of European Denominations 187
pattern, though uninscribed and uniface. When we look at their flimsy
and fragile texture, it becomes a source of surprise that such large
numbers should have survived. The precise place and office of the
bracteate in the extensive area over which it once circulated are not
readily determined. It possessed scarcely any intrinsic value, nor was
its current rate expressed and although
it was ; light to excess, it was not
portable without risk of injury even in the small wallets used in the
middle ages as receptacles for specie carried on the person. It was certainly
not available for ornamental purposes. Yet that it was used in
commerce, and even broken into halves and quarters, appears to be certain.
The purchasing power of such money was of course much greater
in former times, and the rate at which it and its fractions were accepted
was probably understood. In Bavaria a modification of this form of
currency took place in the I2th c., retaining the flimsy fabric, but adding
a rev. There are varieties of this species of coin. In one the obv. has
a coiffed head, and the rev. an angel carrying a cross. The peculiar currency
of Mantua and Aquileia in
from the bracteate.
the middle ages was a direct evolution
Braspenning, a copper penning or pfenning of the 1 5th c. Fricsland.
Comp. Jager.
Bravuda, a Portuguese denomination mentioned in official regulations
belonging to the reign of Duarte I., 1433-38, and apparently = 3 dinheiros.
Breite-groschcn, a term for a plated or billon groschen of Mansfeld,
1514.
Briquet or Vnurijzer, and the half, a silver coin of the I5th c. current
Holland, and so called from the short thrusting sword (briquet} in the
lion's claw. Schuhnan, Cat. v. 1883, cites a half vuurijzer of the I5th c.
of one of the Bishops of Utrecht.
Briquet, double. The double of the foregoing.
Brod, a copper mining piece of Dortmund of the i8th c., is termed a
Paderborner Brod.
A
Bruit, a piece of four stuivers, current in the bishopric of Liege,
1 6th c.
Bryman, the double gros, I4th c., billon. Brabant.
Bugue, a small silver coin of Metz in Lorraine, 1 1
5th- 6th c. There is
the half. A remarkable series is described in Cat. Robert, 671-698.
Bursarienzeichen, a copper piece of 3 pfenningen, 1608. Munster.
*Bushe, Aix-la-Chapelle, value 4 hellers.
Butken, a name given to the half-groot of Groningen, 1 1
5th- 6th c.
butken appears to have been = 2 plakken.
Cadiere, a name given to the gold currency of Brittany and to a billon
type struck under Charles VI. of France for Dauphiny. There is a celebrated
c. d'or of Anne of Brittany, 1498, the earliest French coin with a
.date, where she styles herself Queen of France and Dux Britonum. This
royal lady was naturally very proud of her Breton origin and rank.
*Cagliaresco, Sardinian copper, value 6 to a soldo.
Cagliarese, a copper coin of Cagliari, Sardinia, struck by the Kings of
Spain as Kings of Sardinia, by the Emperor Charles VI., and by the
Kings of Sardinia of the House of Savoy. There is also in copper a piece
of 3 cagliaresi.
*Calderilla, Spanish copper, the Cuarto, value 4 maravedis.
Camillino, a silver denomination of Correggio, near Modena it
;
derived its name from Camillo, Count of Correggio (1580-97).