TYPE Medieval Serbia, Despot Djuradj (George) Brankovic (1427-1456), bronze "dinar" DESCRIPTION . Obv: Circular Serbian legend GIN DESPOT ("Lord Despot"), around monogram of Djuradj Rev: Lion (heraldic symbol of the Brankovic family) marching to left, surrounded by stars REFERENCE: J 123v, Jov 42-21 var. GRADING: F, uneven strike, slight encrustation over glossy dark green patina ORDER INFO: S1440, $28 Throughout over two centuries of its existence, the medieval Serbian monetary system issued almost negligible bronze coinage, essentially relying on silver alone (as opposed to, say, neighboring Bulgaria, and many other contemporaneous coinages of the general area). Surviving types are usually either irregular short-lived, or strictly regional (usually coastal) issues. Alternately - as in the present specimen's case - there were also regular silver types issued contemporaneously in base metal. The exact purpose and origin of these remains uncertain, and even though some show traces of silvering, most have a regular appearance of patinated bronze - leaving thus also unclear if such coinage was actually meant to deceive.