Analysis of Hungarian silver coinage of the 11th-13th centuries, held in the National Museum of Slovenia

A series of 24 Hungarian silver coins dated between the 11th and 13th century kept in the National Museum of Slovenia was analyzed by the method of PIXE using in-air proton beam. The analysis showed that most of the coins were made of high-quality silver except for the coins of anonymous issues during the 12th century. The analysis did not detect degradation during the period of Mongolic attacks in the mid-13th century, which points to the strict monetary politics of Béla IV, contrary to the issues in debased metal during the previous century. The analysis also did not detect silver marked with high levels of bismuth that might have reached Hungary from the west, but the slightly increased bismuth levels in certain coins suggested that this type of silver was diluted with silver from other sources. According to the admixture of gold, the silver metal was principally obtained from cerussite and oxidized ores.