Banovac

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Banovac, banski denar or banica is the name of a coin struck and used in Croatia between 1235 and 1384. The name is derived from two words Ban and Denarius. The word Ban is a title of nobility used in Croatia, and roughly translates as viceroy, whereas Denarius is Latin for coins minted by the Roman Empire.

Banovac included the image of marten (Croatian: kuna) and was one of the reasons for naming the current currency of the Republic of Croatia the kuna. The coins were first minted in Pakrac, and from 1260 in Zagreb.

The legends are: MONETA REGIS P SCLAVONIA (common) MONETA B REGIS P SCLAVONIA (moneta Belae regis pro sclavonia, scarce) MONETA DVCIS P SCLAVONIA (scarce) MONETA REGIS P VNGARIA (rare)

Initials on the Arpad Dynasty coins are: King Bela IV (1235-1270): o - o, lily - lily, bird - bird, h - R (Ban Henricus Nemetujvari, 1267-1270)

King Stephen V (1270-1272) S - R (Stephanus Rex), R - S (Rex Stephanus)

King Ladislaus IV (1272-1290) R - L (Rex Ladislaus), L - R (Ladislaus Rex), S - L (Ban Stephanus Babonich - Rex Ladislaus, 1280-1282?), R - R - L (Ban Radoszlav - Rex Ladislaus, 1286-1288)

King Andrew III (1290-1301) R - A (Rex Andreas), A - R (Andreas Rex), S - A (Ban Stephanus Babonich - Rex Andreas, 1300-1301), R - bird (Rex Andreas - Ban Stephanus Babonich, 1300-1301), A - bird (Rex Andreas - Ban Stephanus Babonich, 1300-1301)