Witten
The Witten, also known as the White Penny, was an important silver coin in the late Middle Ages and early modern period, minted primarily in northern and western Germany and the Netherlands. In a numismatic context, the Witten represents an important step in the development of European coinage, as it was a response to the needs of a growing trade in goods and increasing demand for payment in urban and supraregional economic structures.
The Witten owes its name to its light colour, which came from its relatively high silver content – in contrast to the darker, mostly copper-containing smaller denominations. The first Witten coins were minted in the 14th century, particularly by Hanseatic cities and territorial mints such as those in Münster, Cologne, Osnabrück, Hamburg, Bremen and the
Duchy of Jülich-Berg. They were particularly widespread in areas where there was a need for a practical and trustworthy means of payment between the Pfennig and the Groschen.
One Witten was usually equivalent to four Pfennigs, although regional differences in value, weight and fineness were common. The coins usually bore the coat of arms or symbol of the issuing city or sovereign, as well as Christian symbols such as the cross. In trade, the Witten was used for both everyday payments and interregional trade, making it an extremely practical and popular coin.
From the 15th century onwards, with the advent of new coinage systems – such as the introduction of thalers – the Witten was increasingly replaced. Nevertheless, it remained in circulation in some regions for a long time and was minted sporadically until the 17th century. Particularly in cities with autonomous coinage rights, the Witten continued to be minted as a token or division coin.
Today, the Witten is a prized collector’s item in numismatics, as it excellently documents the development of money from the Middle Ages to the early modern period. The large number of mints, the typological diversity of the coinages and the wide geographical distribution make the Witten an interesting research object that is deeply embedded in the economic and commercial history of Central Europe.