Germany Medieval Silver Hand Heller Circulated

Product Description

The silver Hand Heller is one of the most collected coins from medieval Germany as it shows the earliest isolated depiction of the Manus Dei, or Hand of God. The denomination derived its name from the city of Schwäbisch Hall where these coins were originally minted in the 14th and 15th centuries. At the time these hand hellers were produced, any portrayal of God's full likeness was forbidden, yet earlier religious images worked around this by simply showing the Hand of God bestowing a blessing upon a figure of importance, like a king. But this type of heller took it one step further and by depicting only God's hand, it inferred that His divine blessing would be with the person in possession of the coin — and over time they became a symbol of luck. A Christian cross appears on the reverse. Housed in a handsome box with story card and certificate of authenticity.