Banovac

Banovac, banski denar or banica is the name of a coin struck and used in Croatia between 1235 and 1384. The Latin name denarius banalis was derived from the words ban and denarius. The word ban is a title of nobility used in Croatia, and roughly translates as "viceroy", whereas denarius is Latin for coins minted by the Roman Empire.

Banovac included the image of a marten (Croatian: kuna) - due to the fact that marten pelts were highly valued goods used as a form of payment in Slavonia, the Croatian Littoral, and Dalmatia. This was one of the reasons for naming the former currency of the Republic of Croatia the kuna (used 1994-2023). The coins were first minted in Pakrac, and from 1260 in Zagreb.

The legends are:

• MONETA REGIS P SCLAVONIA (common)
• MONETA B REGIS P SCLAVONIA (moneta Belae regis pro sclavonia, scarce)
• MONETA DVCIS P SCLAVONIA (scarce)
• MONETA REGIS P VNGARIA (rare)

Initials on the Árpád Dynasty coins are:

• King Bela IV (1235–1270):
  • o - o,
  • lily - lily,
  • bird - bird,
  • h - R (Ban Henricus Nemetujvari, 1267–1270)
• King Stephen V (1270–1272)
  • S - R (Stephanus Rex),
  • R - S (Rex Stephanus)
• King Ladislaus IV (1272–1290)
  • R - L (Rex Ladislaus),
  • L - R (Ladislaus Rex),
  • S - L (Ban Stephanus Babonich - Rex Ladislaus, 1280-1282?),
  • R - R - L (Ban Radoszlav - Rex Ladislaus, 1286–1288)
• King Andrew III (1290–1301)
  • R - A (Rex Andreas),
  • A - R (Andreas Rex),
  • S - A (Ban Stephanus Babonich - Rex Andreas, 1300–1301),
  • R - bird (Rex Andreas - Ban Stephanus Babonich, 1300–1301),
  • A - bird (Rex Andreas - Ban Stephanus Babonich, 1300–1301)