Lot 6439

AR Pfennig nd. uniface, minted during the emperor's stay in Worms in 1242 (Joseph234, Bonhoff-.-) - Obv: Long cross with pellets in forked ends, in quarters a tower between two circles, a winged helminth (intestinal worm), a lily and again a helminth, ring with dot behind head - silver 0.48 g. - VF, extremely rare, some sharp details, beautiful patina. The worm refers to the town of Worms, as used in it's heraldry and depicted here as a “mythical creature”. The worm has the same meaning in Germanic symbolism as the snake and dragon and appears in those guises on the coins, as also on the “Lindwurm-Brakteaten” from the same period of Breisgau or closer to home the Draco coins from Holland. The lily represents the Emperor's Stauphic origin and the tower, the Nibelungenturm, is also - but more common - a symbol of the city of Worms