Penny of Otto III from Mainz

A German penny struck in Mainz by Otto III, King of Germany and ruler of the Holy Roman Empire (983–1002). On the front of the coin is a cross with a dot in each corner. On the back is a wooden church with a small cross inside it. The inscription on the back reads MOGONCIA, which refers to the Latin name of Mainz. Pennies minted in the region of Franconia are common among the coins found in Finland. Wooden church pennies were struck in the mints of Mainz, Worms and Speyer in particular.

The penny was included in a hoard found in Sievola, Paimio, in 1841. The hoard contained at least 200 coins, which had been hidden sometime after ca. 1030. Today, only 27 coins are known that can be linked to this hoard. The person who found the hoard sold the coins to a goldsmith, who distributed some of them to collectors.