MEDIEVAL COINS ON THE TERRITORY OF UKRAINE. “BRUSH STROKES” TO THE MONETARY CIRCULATION (I)

During the past two decades, with the development of private search using a special equipment, the number of known coins has increased dramatically, opening up the new opportunities for researchers. The aim of the study. Some of these finds, mainly treasures, have been the subject of the specialized research or have been the part of various numismatic publications, which cannot be said of isolated finds that have only been partially covered in the scientific literature. At the same time, the individual finds are not inferior to informative treasures, allowing a reconstructing the monetary circulation of a single settlement or city, its economic potential, interregional trade relations and many other aspects that contribute together to the restoration of the historical past. Over the last 10-15 years, the authors of this article have been systematically collecting information about the medieval coins found in Ukraine, some of which have an exact location. Thus, the purpose of this article is the gradual introduction into scientific circulation of the numismatic material originating from the territory of modern Ukraine with its full description, illustrations and outlines, references to current works and catalogues. It opens a series of articles on issues of the XV and XVII centuries, namely the Moldavian coins of Alexander I the Good, Stephen III the Great and one piece of the crown solidus of Sigismund III, found with them. Within the 22 coins described in the article, about 10 were found: 6 coins originate from Chernivtsi region, 1 piece of Moldovan coins were founded in Vinnytsia, Poltava, Volyn and Lviv regions. Other coins were also found on the territory of modern Ukraine, the authors do not know the exact places of their discovery. The Conclusions. The topographic distribution of the finds indicates that the main zone of concentration of Moldavian coins falls on the Chernivtsi region, which is quite natural, given that these lands, mentioned in written sources under the name of Shipinska land (terra Sepenicensis), were was included the part of the Moldavian principality since the end of XIV century. The distribution of Moldovan coin finds in Ukraine corresponds to the same international trade routes that connected Central Europe with the Crimean Peninsula, passing through the territory of modern Ukraine and Moldova, known as «Tatar» and «Moldovan» trade routes; and the mediating the role played by the lands of the Principality of Moldavia in this trade.