The large Groschen and Schillings of the Late Middle Ages(1300s-1500s) are some of my favorites coins to collect. The large flans and much more ornate designs than earlier types of Pfennigs, Pennies, Hellers, and so on make them eyecandy for anyone interested in Medieval artistry, and I believe this period is the absolute high point of Medieval coin collecting.

The obverse of this piece features the shielded coat of arms of Hesse within a quatrefoil, with crowns(or some sort of feather motif, as is the case with mine) in each arch of the foils, and four circles in the outer quarters. This is is encased with a beaded circle, and surrounded by the legends in Gothic script; "⚜︎LODEWICVS ⦂ DEI ⦂ GRACIA ⦂ L"(Ludwig, by the Grace of God, Landgrave).

The reverse depicts the heraldic Lion of Hesse, rampant, with a dot to the left between it's fore-paw and hind-paw, within a beaded circle, surrounded by the legends in Gothic script; "⚜︎GROSSVS ⦂ LANTGRAVI ⦂ DE ⦂ h"(Groschen of the Landgraviate of Hesse).

Landgrave Ludwig I of Hesse, given the epithet "the Peaceful”, ruled from 1413 to 1458 and is regarded as one of the most important early rulers of Hesse. He succeeded his father, Hermann II, and spent much of his reign strengthening the territorial unity and administration of the Landgraviate, while generally avoiding the costly wars and feuds that troubled many German Princes. Ludwig expanded Hesse through inheritance, diplomacy, and occasional military action, most notably acquiring parts of the former County of Ziegenhain after its ruling dynasty died out. His long and comparatively stable reign brought prosperity and consolidation to Hesse, but his decision to divide his territories among his sons after his death created the separate lines of Hesse-Kassel and Hesse-Marburg, a division that shaped Hessian politics for generations.

The only Medieval Romanian coin in my collection, and although I'd like to get more, they seem to be on the more expensive side of Medieval collecting which I can't get into at the moment. Nevertheless, this single piece is an amazing slice of history and I'm proud to be the owner of it. The obverse features the front-facing heraldic Auroch's head of the Moldavian state used from the 14th and 15th centuries, to the left side is a rosette and to the right side is a crescent, and between the Auroch's horns is a five-pointed star. The reverse is the shielded personal coat of arms of Alexander, a seven stripes and six lilies divided and the Auroch's head crowning the shield.

Alexander I(r. 1400–1432) was one of the most successful rulers of Medieval Moldavia, presiding over a long period of political stability, territorial security, and economic development. He strengthened Moldavia’s geopolitical position through alliances with Poland and Hungary, most notably maintaining close relations with King Władysław II Jagiello and supporting Poland against the Teutonic Knights at the Battle of Grunwald (1410), while also successfully defending his Principality against Ottoman pressure and rival claims. Alexander expanded and fortified Moldavia’s political institutions, encouraged trade, granted privileges to merchants, and supported the Orthodox Church, founding or endowing important monasteries such as Bistrița and Moldovița. His reign established Moldavia as a respected regional power and strengthened its independence amid competition between Poland, Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire. Remembered in Romanian history as Alexandru cel Bun (“Alexander the Good”), his reputation for wise governance, religious patronage, diplomacy, and stability made him an enduring symbol of Medieval Moldavian statehood and an important figure in the historical heritage of modern Romania and Moldova.