Find Spot record MDO25733 - Nuremburg jetton found at North Farm, Spetisbury

Jetton - copper alloy - Hanns Krauwinckel - Nuremburg - diameter, 20mm - holed near edge for wearing or carrying (1).

Hans Krauwinckel II, son of Damianus and nephew of Hans I, entered the family business in partnership with his brother Egidius. Hans II was first recorded on 26th. November 1586. This was some two months after the death of Hans I had left Egidius as head of the family firm. A few years later Hans II's wife Anna received her first mention on 10th. December 1593 when they bought a new house. On 4th. May 1610 Hans was noted to be striking Rechenpfennige "unter des Konigs in Hispanien Namen und Geprag" (under the Spanish king's name and form). His links with Christian Maler, the engraver were noted about this time; and also business dealings with Mathes Hess (1st. Nov. 1611). The manufacture of French style jetons by Hans was noted in 1616 (23rd. April) and on the same occasion jetons of Spanish form were once again mentioned. Hans' passing was cited in the Book of the Dead on 10th. March 1635 ('Hans Grohwinckel, spengler und rechenpfennigschlager'). His death brought to an end the primacy of the Krauwinckel family, a position which now passed to Hans' brother - in - law, Georg Lauffer, and to the other members of the Lauffer family.

During the course of his long career the younger Hans issued a wide variety of jetons. A number of these were struck from dies engraved by Valentin Maler (fl. 1568 - d. 1611) and his son Christian (fl. 1603 - 52), a relationship first documented in 1610. Affinities between certain types of jeton struck by Hans II and by Kilian Koch, who also used the services of the Malers, have already been noted. Hans II expanded the family business and went on to establish retail outlets for his jetons in France and in the Netherlands , a situation attested both on his jetons of 'reckoning board type' - "In Franckreich und auch in Niderlont" (Barnard 1917, pp. 66, 236: pl. 48 no. 8) - and also in his documented commercial affairs (cfr. Gebert 1917) . His period of activity was later than the minting reforms of the early 1580's and, in keeping with this, it will be noted that all his jetons have parallel die axes.

His name appears as 'Hanns', in contrast to the spelling 'Hans' on jetons attributed to his uncle, Hans I.

<1> Michael Mitchiner, 1988, Jetons, Medalets & Tokens; The Medieval Period and Nuremburg, 435 (Monograph). SDO11991.

Record last edited

Aug 24 2010 2:11PM