Silver Coin of Tsar Mihail Shishman of Second Bulgarian Empire Released by National Bank, Archaeology Museum in Replica Collection

April 19, 2021 · by Ivan Dikov · in Bulgarian Empire, Middle Ages

The replica of the silver coin minted by Tsar Mihail III Shishman Asen in the 1320s, which featured the ruler riding on a horse on its reverse, a standard coin image for the remainder of the life of the Second Blgarian Empire. Photo: National Institute and Museum of Archaeology

A replica of a silver coin minted by Tsar Mihail III Shishman Asen of the Second Bulgarian Empire (r. 1323 – 1330) has become the fourth coin to be released by the Mint of the Bulgarian National Bank and the National Institute and Museum of Archaeology in a joint project for a modern-day replica collection of Bulgarian coins from the Middle Ages.

The project includes the reproduction of a total of seven coins from the start of coin minting in medieval Bulgaria which began under Tsar Ivan Asen II (r. 1218 – 1241).

As part of the replica collection entitled “Medieval Bulgarian Coins,” the Bulgarian National Bank and the National Institute and Museum of Archaeology in Sofia have already released replicas of the gold perpera (a version of the Byzantine gold coin “hyperpyron”) and a copper cup-shaped coin (scyphate) both of Tsar Ivan Asen II, and of the silver coin of Tsar Todor (Teodor) Svetoslav Terter (r. 1301 – 1322).

In its announcement on the release of the replica silver coin of Tsar Mihail III Shishman Asen, the National Institute and Museum of Archaeology points out the artistic style and meticulous craftsmanship involved in its minting.

“The coin minting of Bulgarian ruler Tsar Mihail Shishman (r. 1323 – 1330), the founder of the last dynasty of the Second Bulgarian Empire, that of the House of Shishman, consists of a type of silver coins standing out with their good style and meticulous craftsmanship,” the Museum says.

“With their artistic qualities, these coins occupy first place in medieval Bulgarian silver coin minting,” it adds.

“Their production continues the tradition established under Tsar Todor Svetoslav (1301 – 1322) of minting silver coins with a flat core,” the Museum notes.

“The reverse of Tsar Mihail Shishman’s silver coins shows the Tsar as a horse rider, an iconographic type introduced in Bulgarian coin minting by Tsar Konstantin Asen Tih (r. 1257 – 1277), which in the 14^th century became almost permanent on the Bulgarian rulers’ coins,” elaborates Bulgaria’s National Institute and Museum of Archaeology.

Many of the Tsars of the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185 – 1396/1422) minted coins.

Besides the silver coin of Tsar Mihail III Shishman Asen mentioned above, the six other coins to be reproduced in the “Medieval Bulgarian Coins” replica collection include:

Two coins of Tsar Ivan Asen II, a gold perpera (hyperpyron) and a copper scyphate (cup-shaped coin);

Two silver coins of Tsar Ivan Alexander (r. 1331 – 1371) – one of which was declared the Museum’s first exhibit of the month back in August 2020;

A silver coin of Tsar Todor (Teodor) Svetoslav Terter (r. 1301 – 1322);

A silver coin minted by Tsar Ivan Sratsimir (r. 1371 – 1396) of the Vidin Tsardom, a rump state of the Second Bulgarian Empire.

The Second Bulgarian Empire was formed in 1185 after the successful rebellion against Byzantium of two Bulgarian boyars, brothers Asen and Petar (later Tsar Asen I (r. 1187-1196) and Tsar Petar IV (r. 1185-1197)), the so called Asen and Petar’s Uprising). Both Asen and Petar, as well as their third brother, Tsar Kaloyan (1197-1207) were murdered.

The second Bulgarian Empire in the 1320s under Tsar Mihail III Shishman, including the 1330 Battle of Velbazhd (today’s Kyustendil) in which the Serbs under Stefan Dusan routed the Bulgarian forces by breaking a truce. Map: Wikipedia

The rule of Tsar Mihail III Shishman Asen was a tumultuous time for the Second Bulgarian Empire in constant wars with disloyal feudal lords, the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium) to the south and the newly rising Serbia to the west.

Tsar Mihail III Shishman was killed in the Battle of Velbazhd (today’s city of Kyustendil in Western Bulgaria) in which the Serbian forces under King Stefan Dusan (later crowned emperor) broke a truce and surprised and routed the unprepared Bulgarian troops.

The coins from the Medieval Bulgarian Coins replica collection can be purchased from the Mint of the Bulgarian National Bank through its website mint.bg or by phone order at +359 2 807 18 67.

Also check out these stories about the Medieval Bulgarian Coins collection:

Gold Coin of Tsar Ivan Asen II of Second Bulgarian Empire Released by Bulgarian National Bank, Archaeology Museum as Part of Replica Collection

Cup-Shaped Copper Coin of Tsar Ivan Asen II of Second Bulgarian Empire Released by National Bank, Archaeology Museum in Replica Collection

Silver Coin of Tsar Todor Svetoslav of Second Bulgarian Empire Released by National Bank, Archaeology Museum in Replica Collection

14th Century Silver Coin of Tsar Ivan Alexander of Second Bulgarian Empire Becomes August 2020 ‘Exhibit of the Month’ in National Archaeology Museum

Also check out this story about the tumultuous rule of Tsar Mihail III Shishman Asen:

Ancient Panacea Theriac Meddled ‘Successfully’ in One of the Last Wars of the Bulgarian and Byzantine Empires in 1323

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Ivan Dikov, the founder of ArchaeologyinBulgaria.com, is the author of the book Plunder Paradise: How Brutal Treasure Hunters Are Obliterating World History and Archaeology in Post-Communist Bulgaria, among other books.

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