Numismatics
600th anniversary of the coronation of Barbara of Celje (2014)
Barbara of Celje was born around 1392 in Celje, the youngest daughter of Hermann II, Count of Celje, and Countess Anna of Schaumburg. In 1405 she married Sigismund of Luxembourg, King of Hungary, and was simultaneously crowned Queen of Hungary. In 1411 Sigismund was elected Holy Roman Emperor, and was crowned King of Germany in Aachen on 8 November 1414. He exercised the right to have his wife crowned alongside him, and Barbara of Celje thus became Queen of Germany, which legitimately placed her at the very summit of the state authorities. On 11 February 1437 in Prague she was crowned Queen of Bohemia in her own right. In 1441 she left for Mělník, where she died on 11 July 1451. She is buried in Prague, in St Vitus Cathedral in Hradčany, where a number of European rulers are also buried.
Barbara of Celje was an important representative of the Counts of Celje in the highest circles of European nobility. She played a major role in establishing peace between the Polish crown and the Teutonic Knights, and in the alliance between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the kingdoms of Poland and Hungary. Barbara also used her royal status to advance the Counts of Celje. With Sigismund she founded the Order of the Dragon in 1408, which brought together the closest imperial confidants and the biggest and most important European rulers of the time. Barbara was the only female member of this elite order, whose members included Hermann II and Frederick II of Celje.
Barbara of Celje was one of the most progressive and free-thinking women of the age. She was a master of diplomacy, spoke several languages, and argued in favour of new artistic and social developments. She also had an interest in astrology and alchemy. She was often depicted negatively during her life and later by historians, but more recent studies aim at presenting a more objective image of her.
Sources: Rolanda Fugger Germadnik and Milan Štruc
Commemorative coin
The Republic of Slovenia is issuing a commemorative coin to mark the 600th anniversary of the coronation of Barbara of Celje. The coin’s central motif is a portrait of Barbara with a sceptre and the distinctive three six-pointed stars of the Counts of Celje.
Coin designer: Studiobotas d.o.o., Ljubljana.
Minting: Royal Dutch Mint, the Netherlands.
- Minted: 1 million coins.
- Date of issue: 17 November 2014.
Official Journal of the EU, 2014/C 62/08 - 4. 3. 2014.
2€ commemorative coin in plastic capsules
The Bank of Slovenia has prepared 2€ commemorative coin (proof quality) issued to mark the 600th anniversary of the coronation of Barbara of Celje:
- 5,000 coins in plastic capsules.
They are on sale from 17 November 2014.
The list of Banka Slovenije's numismatic products and their availability as well as their price can be found at the following web page.