Publication detail

Determination of the fineness of medieval coins – Evaluation of methods in a case study of a medieval pfennig

KUČERA, L. RICHTERA, L. ZMRZLÝ, M. JAROŠOVÁ, M. KUČEROVÁ, P. BEDNÁŘ, P.

Original Title

Type

journal article in Web of Science

Language

English

Original Abstract

The original fineness of coins is very important information that can help us to understand the commercial situation in a wide historical context. This paper deals with a comparison of analytical methods suitable for the evaluation of the actual and original fineness of coins based on a detailed case study of a medieval coin sample. Both non-destructive (i.e., scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence, atomic force microscopy and hydrostatic weighing) and destructive (i.e., inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry and the Volhard titration method) techniques were used. The original fineness can be also deduced from knowledge of the internal structure of the coin (limited miscibility of copper and silver). A new analytical method based on a combination of a micrograph of the metallographic cross-section with consequent image analysis was developed for determination of the original fineness. The proposed approach is relatively simple and provides reliable values. Sample heterogeneity and its impact on the determination of fineness are also discussed.

Keywords

fineness of coins; medieval coins; image analysis; atomic force microscopy; X-ray fluorescence; scanning electron microscopy

Authors

KUČERA, L.; RICHTERA, L.; ZMRZLÝ, M.; JAROŠOVÁ, M.; KUČEROVÁ, P.; BEDNÁŘ, P.

Released

1. 4. 2018

ISBN

0003-813X

Periodical

ARCHAEOMETRY

Year of study

Number

State

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Pages from

325

Pages to

341

Pages count

BibTex

@article{BUT146947,
  author="Lukáš {Kučera} and Lukáš {Richtera} and Martin {Zmrzlý} and Monika {Jarošová} and Pavla {Kučerová} and Petr {Bednář}",
  title="Determination of the fineness of medieval coins – Evaluation of methods in a case study of a medieval pfennig",
  journal="ARCHAEOMETRY",
  year="2018",
  volume="60",
  number="2",
  pages="325--341",
  doi="10.1111/arcm.12313",
  issn="0003-813X"
}