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The Archaeological Museum Branch of the Municipal Museum in Wroclaw has acquired three new valuable exhibits. Recently, during archaeological research conducted in the block of buildings bordered by Legnicka, Sokolnicza, and Nabycińska streets in Wrocław, golden coins from the mid-18th century were discovered.
The area was once part of the villages of Nabitin (1175) and Stapin (1203) and later, from 1768-1783, belonged to Przedmieście Mikolajskie. The eastern and central part of the area was used for developing Prussian fortifications, while in the western part, mass graves have been found under the foundations of 19th-century and contemporary buildings. These graves are believed to be evidence of tragic events related to the conquest of the city by the Prussian army during the Silesian Wars.
The newly discovered coins were found in these graves and are in excellent condition. They include a gold ducat from the United Provinces of the Netherlands from 1748, weighing 3.5 grams and with a fineness of 0.986. The second is a gold ducat from Francis I Stephan, Holy Roman Emperor, Duke of Lorraine, minted in 1750 at the Karlsburg mint, weighing 3.5 grams and with a fineness of 0.986. Finally, a half-gold sovereign of his wife Maria Theresa of Habsburg, Holy Roman Empress, Queen of Germany, Hungary, Bohemia, Galicia, and Lodomeria, Archduchess of Austria, minted in 1750 in Antwerp, weighing 5.53 grams and with a fineness of 0.920.
These coins are not only valuable in terms of their material worth but also provide a glimpse into the history of the area and the people who once lived there. The discovery of the coins in mass graves also adds to our understanding of the tragic events that occurred during the Silesian Wars.
The Muzeum Archeologiczne Oddział Muzeum Miejskiego we Wroclawiu is delighted to have acquired these new exhibits, and they will undoubtedly attract many visitors who are interested in history and archaeology. These coins are an important addition to the museum’s collection and further enrich our knowledge of Wroclaw’s past.