Piast Bracteate from Silesia

This Piast bracteate from Silesia, dated around 1300, was struck on an alarmingly thin silver flan that often tore during circulation, forcing frequent reminting.

That's no exaggeration; these coins were so fragile they were sometimes restruck over their own worn surfaces, turning a single piece into a palimpsest of ducal imagery. The Silesian dukes, likely from the Piast line, used them for everyday transactions, featuring crude designs of lions or crosses that reflected the region's fragmented authority.

We don't know the exact mint or the number produced, as records from that era are scarce. What we do have are a few surviving examples, pulled from Polish hoards, showing the metal was probably sourced locally.

Historians argue over whether these were meant for trade or tribute. Either way, after handling thousands, I've learned that the real mystery isn't in the coin—it's in why people still romanticize them as lucky charms.