Old coins from the Medveščak brook in Zagreb

On July 28, 2005 a very unusual, didactic, extremely interesting and attractive exhibition called »A brook in the very heart of Zagreb. Following the Medveščak brook from its source to its mouth« was opened at the City of Zagreb Museum. Among the very many exhibits one could also see all coins and medals found there, preserved in the Zagreb Archaeological Museum Numismatic Cabinet (PREMERL 2005: 91, Nos. 1.37– 153). On November 17, 2005. at 7 PMthere was also the book launch of the exhibition catalogue, bearing the same title, written by Nada Premerl. Because a detailed coin catalogue could not be included in this valuable and interesting book, the authors wish to present it here. In 1899 during the construction of an underground canal to direct the water, workmen unearthed many objects, among them a considerable amount of old coins. A small part was rescued and the Zagreb Magistrate and Josip Pavlišić presented these coins to the Archaeological Museum. Josip Brunšmid, the Museum director in those days gave a detailed report and a list of the coins (BRUNŠMID 1900). Among the coins, found in the Medveščak, there were some Roman coins, which, together with other Roman coins found in Zagreb, have caused considerable interest since. After Brunšmid (1900) a few lines were dedicated to them by Josip Klemenc (1938: 104), and more recently by Z. Dukat (1994; 1996). Better preserved specimens of Roman coins were shown on the exhibition »Zagreb before Zagreb« (December 1994 – February 1995), also at the Zagreb City Museum (DUKAT 1994). The present catalogue, apart from the five Roman coins, includes the one mediaeval and 112 various modern coins. They have been processed by NUMIZ, a computer programme developed by the Numismatic Cabinet of the Slovenian National Museum in Ljubljana