Pfennig - Leopold III

Leopold III — later canonized in 1485 and adopted as patron saint of Austria — ruled during a period when the Margraviate was consolidating its position between competing imperial and papal factions. His pfennigs belong to the bracteate-influenced regional coinage spreading through the German lands in the early twelfth century, though Austrian issues of this period retained full-flan fabric longer than many neighboring mints. CNA#B4b specimens are rarely found with complete, uncracked flans — the thin silver and wide diameter made these particularly vulnerable to handling.