Oradea 1703–1710 – the Blockade Coins
Oradea 1703–1710 – the Blockade Coins

Summary/Abstract: The article aims to present a few coins issued during Rákóczi’s War known as the Liberation War in Hungarian literature. Started in 1703, the war of liberation led by Francisc Rákóczi II put the city of Oradeaunder a blockade until 1710. Due to its geopolitical and economical position Oradea was an important city for both belligerent sides: the Habsburgs and the Principality of Transylvania. Coins were issued in Oradea during the blockade, in 1706, 1707, 1708, and 1710. They belong to two types. The most common type displays on theobverse the imperial cypher I (after Joseph I) with the imperial crown and the year (1706, 1707, 1708, or 1710),while the reverse displays the legend: IN/NECES/SITATE/VARADI/ENSI. The second type consists of small coins of the uniface type, the obverse of which contains the imperial cypher I, with crown, and letters GW (GrosWardein). From a numismatic point of view these currencies are not very beautiful but they are an important historical source for the knowledge of local events during the period of Rákóczi’s War.

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