The reign of Grand Master Winrych von Kniprode was a period of monetary reform. In response to the growing circulation of large foreign coins, the impact of the “invasion” of Prague groszy, and the low purchasing power of the Order’s bracteate pfennigs, he introduced three new types of coins.
The largest of these is the half-scoter (halbscoter). This denomination was introduced as part of a reform carried out around 1364, before the first szelągs were minted. Its design references well-recognized European coins.
Today, it is a typologically rare coin, as, like the “kwartniki,” it was issued only once. As we can read in the booklet “Teutonic Knights’ Coins” by Marta Męclewska: “They are therefore rarely found in hoards, and very few known varieties have been recorded.”
