Holy Roman Empire, Bishopric of Augsburg, Hartmann of Dillingen, Bracteate

Augsburg was an episcopal mint, a status it could maintain throughout the whole Hohenstaufen era. Various aspects reflect the power of the clerics in Augsburg. For instance did the bishops not only mint in Augsburg itself, but also in Dillingen, the home town of the bishop depicted here. The importance of the Augsburg bracteates is also reflected in the fact that they formed the main currency in an extensive region. The population knew and accepted them as Augsburg pfennigs. This is unusual for bracteates, for they were usually only valid in the region where they had been minted.