CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HISTORY OF THE ROMANIAN
VOCABULARY: NAMES OF POLISH COINS THAT
CIRCULATED IN MOLDOVA. I. POTRONIC
Keywords: Polish silver coins, potrojnik, triple
grosz.
The history of the Romanian vocabulary is com-
plex mainly due to the fact that he was perma-
nently enriched with borrowings from the lan-
guage of different peoples and civilizations with
which it came into contact. These loans are ob-
viously the result of the historical circumstances
and of the geographic context in which the Ro-
manian language evolved. The majority of the
neighboring idioms, among which the Polish,
contributed to the enrichment of the Romanian
lexicon. It should be noted that the coin names
of Polish origin were known to the inhabitants
of the three Romanian Principalities, but given
the geographical proximity and direct trade re-
lations, especially of those from Moldova and
Transylvania.
In order not to abuse the patience of the readers,
the editorial space, and because the attestations
of the Polish coins that circulated in the Roma-
nian provinces are abundant, we will stop on only
one of them as a first step of our approach, name-
ly the potronic. For the same reason, although
this currency name benefits from an extended
documentary background, I have provided below
only those examples considered more eloquent
about the issues that are exposed here.
Potronic is a word certified especially on the ter-
ritory of Moldova and less in the other Romanian
provinces1. It designate a silver coin, commonly
used in various transactions or paying taxes and
duties. The oldest reliable documentary testi-
mony we know dates back to June 7, 1597 when
Petre of Răchiteşti sells its land for 21 thalers and
Among the exceptions, see The Memorial of the Transylva-
1
nians from the district of Nasăud submitted in 1757 to the
Royal Court of Vienna, in which there are enumerated the
numerous taxes and duties they were subjected to, among
which there is a mention of the potronic (= a tax with the
value of a potronic) (according to Bichigean 1926, 31-40).
Tyragetia, s.n., vol. XIII [XXVIII], nr. 2, 2019, 107-113.
Costin Croitoru
six potronici – ”money ready”2 (DIR 1952, 169,
doc. no. 227). Another act, issued we do not know
when, somewhere between 1591-1600, holds a
first parity of sales value: ”Fifteen thalers, but
silver potronici; for a thaler, 12 potronici each”.
Interesting is the addition in the same document,
written in Romanian: ”for a hurt that was done,
I gave 5 potronici, three money (= bani), and for
another hurt also a thaler; for a murder I gave
them into their hands 3 pigs, 1 hive, 6 potronici”3
(DIR 1957, 8, doc. no. 8). Subsequently, the fre-
quency of mentions increased significantly with
the onset of the 17th century. For example, on
February 4, 1621, Magda Vrânceneasa confesses
in a written act that she bought two vineyards
that she gave ”yellow gold coins and beaten thal-
ers and silver potronici”4 (DIR 1957, 8, doc. no.
11) and on April 5, 1625, a certain Paul buys a
property with ”the equivalent of two red gold
coins and ten silver potronici– how the money is
flowing now”5 (DIR 1957, 42, doc. no. 44).
The etymology of the term potronic is clear.
Thus, obviously, is fanciful the opinion of Val-
entin Bude, who was convinced that ”from the
word «patrona» derives, probably the name of
the coin potronic, a silver coin circulating in our
country in the 17th century, and having a Austro-
Hungarian origin, and not of Polish origin, as Mr.
Iorga says (Iorga 1921, 291)”. However, worthy of
note to this author, is the information according
to which” the elders of Bucovina still call today
the older silver coins «patroance»” (Bude 1923,
235).
2
In the original Romanian text: ”21 talere şi şasă potronici,
bani gata”.
3
In the original Romanian text: ”pentru o năpaste ce s-au fă-
cut, am dat 5 potronici, câte trei bani şi pentru altă năpaste
aşişdere un taler; pentru o moarte asemenea 3 porci, 1 stup,
6 potronici ci-au dat în mânule loru...”.
4
In the original Romanian text: ”galbeni de aur şi talere bă-
tuţi şi potronici de argint”.
5
In the original Romanian text: ”dereptu doi galbeni ruşii şi
dzeci potronici de argintu – cum înblă banii acu”.
107
 II. Materiale și cercetări
Returning to the question about the origin of this
coin name, the proposed and accepted etymology
is potrojnik (po + trojnik) which in Polish means
”three” or ”triple” (meaning coin of three groszy)
(Graur 1971, 127/130; Şăineanu 1938, 501) and
which in the Romanian numismatic literature
came under the name of troyak (= trojaki).
In the early part of the seventeenth century,
when its most consistent attestations were re-
corded, the potronic was worth nine money (=
bani). Illustrative for its ”power” is, among many
other examples of this kind, a document issued
in Iasi on April 19, 1621, which captures a trans-
action realized ”for seven hundred and fifty thal-
ers, the money being a potronic nine money (=
bani) [...] and from that money they gave us
three hundred thalers, but the potronic count
nine money (= bani)6 (Iorga 1904, 16-17, doc. no.
22). A different reality is recorded by Ion Neculce
when describing the famine in the second reign
of Dumitraşcu Cantacuzino (1685), withholding
exorbitant prices, among which ”the egg was a
potronic (10 money =bani) [...] and cheese was 2
potronici (20 money =bani)”7 (Ghibănescu 1923,
177). As in the case of other money, the exchange
rate of the potronic has varied, its value relative
to other currencies undergoing changes over
time due to various causes. For example, based
on a minimal bibliography, we are informed that
”in 1617 the patromic has the value of 9 shil-
lings (the laters «şalăi»), at 1622 nine money (so
money and «şalău» was the same thing), but on
1631 (?) 16 money (!?) (Iorga 1904, V, 81 şi nota
1; VI, 18, 537) and then a potronic = six money in
1723 (I. Neculce, în Letop., ed. II, vol. II, 370)”8
(Gîdei 1904 36, note 3). Following N. Iorga, Au-
gust Scriban recorded in his dictionary, on the
potronic voice: ”an old silver coin which, in 1621,
was worth 9 money (= aspers), then 10 under the
Phanariots (there were also silver potronici = 6
aspers)”9. Here too, we keep the information ac-
6
In the original Romanian text: ”derept şeapte sute şi cindză-
ci de talere, banii câte noao bani la potronic [...] şi dentra-
acei bani ne-au dat trei sute de talere, însă potronicul căte
noao bani”.
7
In the original Romanian text: ”oul câte un potronic (10
bani) [...] ocaoa de brânză era câte 2 potronici (20 bani)”.
8
In the original Romanian text: Ӕn anul 1617 potronicul va-
lora 9 şalenghi (şalăii de mai târziu), la 1622 nouă bani (deci
bani şi şalăi acelaşi lucru); însă pe la 1631 (?) 16 bani (?)
(Iorga 1904, V, 81 şi nota 1; VI, 18, 537) şi apoi un potronic =
şase bani la 1723 (I. Neculce, în Letop., ed. II, vol. II, 370)”.
9
In the original Romanian text: ”o veche monedă de argint
care, la 1621, valora 9 bani (= aspri), apoi 10 supt fanarioţi
(erau şi potronici de argint = 6 aspri)”.
108
cording to which ”the payment in German thalers
was called «in good money» and in potroniciwas
called in «silly money, silly thalers» or «potron-
ici money»”10 (Scriban 1939, 1028). In his turn
Th. Codrescu in Însemnare de câteva cuvinte
cuprinse în Anaforalele şi Hrisoavele din acestu
Uricariu, defines the potronic as ”a Polish silver
coin worth 15 parale and which in ancient times
counted 20 potronici to one golden coin”11 (Co-
drescu 1871, 397).
The low value of the numismatic piece is also
expressed metaphoricon the heroic novel ”Valea
Albă” (White Valley): ”when the sultan’s life is at
stake, the rifles can perish, and all the armies; all
the nations, all Asia, do not cherish a potronic
any more”12 (Belcescu-Silvan 1909, 204).
As noted, potronic often occurs in tax regula-
tions, the amount of payments in which it was
perceived varying, as well as its equivalents to
other currencies. For the period we are interested
in, the one in which the potronic was circulated
in Moldova, the bribe was paid to the treasury, in
conventional shares, in proportion to the wealth
of each member (Mioc 1959, 71). For example, in
the first decades of the seventeenth century, for
someone called Pătrăşcanu from Lecuşeni ”it was
onepotronic charge”13 (DIR 1957, 1, doc. no. 1).
From the consultation of the documents, it fol-
lows that the potronic and the money (= banii)
represent the odds of paying the treasure ship-
ments. The golden (= galben) or the zloty (=
zlot), sometimes mentioned, fulfills the role of
the thaler in Wallachia, thus having subunits the
potronicii and the money (= banii), respectively
costandele and aspers (= asprii). To pay the trib-
ute Vasile Lupu commanded from Iasi on Janu-
ary 11, 1636: ”To all our subjects, to the peasants
in the land of Hotin; telling you that they came
from the kingdom to give us the tribute of the
honest emperor [...]. And I cast you to give you
for a name two zloty (= zloţi) what is the fee of
the honest emperor. And the lack of money to
10
In the original Romanian text: ”plata în taleri germani se
numea «în bani buni» iar în potronici se numea «în bani
proşti, taleri proşti» sau «bani potronici»”.
11
In the original Romanian text: ”monedă leşească de argintu
în valoră de 15 parale şi în vechime se socotea 20 potronici
dreptu unu galbănu”.
12
In the original Romanian text: ”când viaţa sultanului e în
gioc, puştile pot să piară, şi toate oştile, toate crăiile, toată
Asia, nu mai preţuiesc un potronic”.
13
In the original Romanian text: ”au fostu cisla un potronic”.
 C. Croitoru, Contributions to the history of the romanian vocabulary
give as you gave it up to now, only who will give
«beaten zloty», not to give away. Also, who will
give silver potronic, to give a Polish coin (= ban),
for those who are taking down...”14 (DRH 1996,
335, doc. no. 297). Another example that I have
recalled comes from almost a dozen years. Thus,
in 1733 Constantin Mavrocordat broke the habit
and the law made by Grigore Ghica: ”They gave
the boyars and the monasteries for 10 hives one
«lion» (= leu), and now they gave it to them, as
the peasants – for ten hives 22 potronici; and
22 potronici were worth 220 money (= bani),
that is, a «lion» (= leu) and 100 money (= bani);
so doubles were paid hives, like the peasants”15
(Ghibănescu 1925, 86).
In order to give us an idea about the material
value of the potronic, we extracted from the lit-
erature a range of prices. Thus, an exceptional
situation is recorded by the chronicler Neculce,
according to which, during the Polish occupation
of 1687, a cup of water from the Golia monastery
pump cost a potronic (anyway this being the first
attestation of the pump in Golia’s yard) (Zotta
1925, 8). In 1742 the flour measure was bought
with three potronici, a lamb with nine potroni-
ci, and a wine carafe with six to eight potronici
(Bogdan 1915, 218-219).
It seems that potronic have been used both as a
real currency and as an account currency. An-
other sale-purchase act drafted also in the capital
of Moldova, in March 1622, recorded the sale of
a village with ”500 thalers, «good money» and
«potronici money»” (Iorga 1904, 18, doc. no.
24). See here also the explanation: ”9 money (=
bani) at one potronic on payment”; see further
on ”I have given by the patron Scărletoaie fifty
thalers of «foolish money»; the potronic worth
9 money (= bani), and so eight hundred «fool-
14
In the original Romanian text: ”la toţi mişeii noştri, la ţăra-
nii din ţinutul Hotinului; dându-vă ştire că ne-au venit de la
Împărăţie ca să dăm haraciul cinstitului împărat [...] arun-
cat-am şi pre voi ca să daţi de un nume câte doi zloţi, ce iaste
dajdea cinstitului împărat. Iar lipsele banilor să le daţi cum
aţi dat şi până acum, numai cine va da zloţi bătuţi, să nu dea
lipsele. Aşişderea cine va da potronic de argintu, să dea câte
un ban leşesc, pentru câţi se iau cu scădere...”.
15
In the original Romanian text: ”dau boierii şi mănăstirile de
10 stupi un leu, iar acum făcură de dau ţărăneşte de zece stu-
pi 22 potronici; 22 potronici valorau 220 bani, adică un leu
şi 100 bani; aproape deci îndoit se plăteau stupii ţărăneşte”.
ish thalers» have been filled”16. Three years later,
on July 25, 1625, Ionaşcu of Ivăneşti sells his vil-
lage for ”6 good golden coins (= galbeni) and 6
potronici”. Interesting is also the explanation in
the same document: ”I gave zloty, the zloty valu-
ing eight silver potronici, that it the amount of
circulation”17 (DIR 1957, 359, doc. no. 474 = DRH
2006, 431, doc. no. 360). On July 20, 1635, three
parcels were sold ”with no force [...] as 35 po-
tronici, «good money»”18 (DRH 1996, 210, doc.
no. 175). An act dated January 30, 1637, testi-
fies Obreja’s pledge on part of his property, but
”the money was counted potronici, as 11 «good
money», to be know”19 (DRH 1998, 24, doc. no.
24). Interesting is the act of Miss Aniţa Paladi for
1000 «lions» (= lei) borrowed from Coste Papafil
on June 15, 1757, and for which she is committed
to pay interest ”a «lion» (= leu) at six potronici,
per cent per month” which would amount to 18%
value per year (Ghibănescu 1930, 88, no. doc.
80).
The potronic is equal to costanda (Ştefănescu
1869, 82; Haşdeu 1893, 2426; Tiktin 1903, 423;
Giurescu 1946, 625), this equivalence some-
times suggesting the synonym of the two mon-
etary terms (Candrea 1931, 341: „old silver coin,
also called potronic, whose value was, after the
period in which it circulated, 9 or 10 money (=
bani)”). Constantin Moisil, following a judi-
cious analysis, advances the idea that the term
”costanda” was used predominantly in Muntenia
to designate the Polish trojak which in Moldova
was called ”potronic” (Moisil 1945, 8-14). His
suggestion is ”promoted” by Octavian Iliescu in
his attempt to date as accurately as possible the
translation of Învăţăturile lui Neagoe Basarab
(Neagoe Basarab’s Teachings) into Romanian,
based on the coin names from the text: ”from the
analysis of documentary sources and monetary
thesaurus, one finds that the trojak or silver tri-
ple grosz, called costanda in Wallachia and po-
tronic in Moldova – from potrojnik – penetrates
our space in massive quantities only from about
16
In the original Romanian text:”câte 9 bani potronicul,
la plată”; see also „mi-au mai dat jupăneasa Scărletoaie
cindzăci de taleri bani proşti, potronicul câte noau bani, şi
s-au împlut optu sute de taleri proşti”.
17
In the original Romanian text: ”am dat zloţi, zlotul câte optu
potronici de argintu, că aşea înblă acum”.
18
In the original Romanian text: ”fără nici o silă [...] drept 35
de potronici, bani boni”.
19
In the original Romanian text: ”banii s-au nomărat potroni-
col câţi unsprădzăci bani boni, să să ştie”.
109
 II. Materiale și cercetări
1590, enjoying intense traffic until 1630, when
local traffic will not be fed with new programs
and will only use battered pieces up to 1624” (Ili-
escu 1967, 6-7; see also Zamfirescu 1973, 362).
Discussions on the amount and modalities of
payment of the tribute have given rise to similar
conclusions: ”the Polish pieces of triple grosz,
nominally named in the internal documents of
the 17th century costanda in Walachia and po-
tronic (literary meaning «of three») or babcă in
Moldova, were in fact coinage divisions valuing
1/12th – 1/13th part of a thaler; in Ottoman cur-
rency, a Polish triple grosz piece was equivalent
to 6 aspri while the thaler was worth 68-78 asp-
rii” (Iliescu 1979, 558).
Such a hypothesis, without being a priori re-
jected, raises at least two questions; 1. Why did
the Polish terminology used in Moldova not be
imposed in Muntenia? and especially 2. How is it
explained that a Polish coin has come to be called
under a Greek name – costanda? (Lupu 2013,
66-67).
To illustrate the parity of the numismatic pieces,
but also for the picturesque language, we note the
following fragment of the ”guild law”: ”a grave
digger or a bastard who slapped someone else in
his guild, was punished with a fine of 15 potronici
or 15 costande, plus the punishment with beat-
ing – 50 sticks”20 (Pavlescu 1939, 382).
Regarding the circulation of the potronic, let
us note, as an ante quem guiding mark, that on
April 11, 1739 Grigore Ghica imposed for the
”Polish Armenians” that bring herds to Moldova,
amongst other ones, a charge of ”an ancient
potronic of ox and a «lion» (= leu) of ox as
custom duty” (our emphasis) (Bălan 1937, 142,
doc. no. 3). In all likelihood, in the second half
of the seventeenth century the potronic began
to emerge from the commercial market, possibly
due to the influx of fake coins issued in Moldova
during Eustatie Dabija, of course without com-
pletely disappearing.
Regarding the other chronological reference, not
by chance, as we have seen, the first literary at-
testations of the term date back to the end of the
16th century. Most triple grosz coins are struck
after the 1580-1581 reforms that led to the uni-
In the original Romanian text: ”un cioclu sau un mişel care
20
dădea palmă altuia din breasla sa, era pedepsit cu o gloabă
de 15 potronici sau 15 costande, plus certarea de câte 50 de
toiage”.
110
fication of the Polish monetary system with that
of Lithuania and Riga. Thus, the issue of numis-
matic terminology attestations is the result of the
huge production of Polish coins of the last decade
of the 16th century – which propelled this nomi-
nal (grossus argenteus triplex) as the first in the
small coins category of the next century. Due to
their quality and relative stability they have had
a strong impact on ”consumers” being – as me-
dieval documents and archaeological discoveries
show – some of the most appreciated pieces on
the market (Velter, Boldureanu 2015, 205-206.
See also Butnaru 2010, 237-352; Butnaru 2012,
73-95).
Following the Polish model, the Transylvanian
Principality issued a coin of the same value,
called triplugros argenteus, and which com-
pared to the original piece has circulated more
in Wallachia (Ungureanu 2005, 461). Pieces of
triple grosz, similar to those from Poland, but
with Moldovan armory on the reverse were also
beaten by Moldovan princes – Ştefan Răzvan and
Ieremia Movilă, of course with respect to the title
and weight of the trojak, so that it can also cir-
culate in the Polish kingdom (see in this regard
the text of the agreement between Sigismund III
and Ieremia Movilă in 1595, at Codrescu 1862,
no. 280-282).
As a diverse fact, we also note the apparent per-
ception of the term that interests us among the
anthroponomics, some Maria Potronica being
immortalized by a document issued on 15 March
1643 (DRH 2005, 58, doc. no. 51).
These are, very succinctly, the considerations we
make about the designation of a coin that has
made a ”career” especially in commercial rela-
tions and the payment of tribute and taxes for
more than a century. His massive presence – as I
have shown, suggestively illustrated both literally
and archaeologically, is not an exception, but on
the contrary confirms historical realities. These
coins have, to some extent, replaced the lack of
cash on the market. Its inadequacy, in addition to
maintaining the barter as a form of exchange until
late, favored the presence of counterfeits and the
circulation of devalued, old coins. In this context,
it is possible to understand the expressions so
frequent in documents, which almost invariably
apply currency equivalences, various denomina-
tions of the same numismatic pieces or just the
specification of ”old money” and ”new money”.
 C. Croitoru, Contributions to the history of the romanian vocabulary

Glossary of monetary terms in Romanian, used in the text (mainly after Iliescu 2002)
akcè in Turkish, white silver coin – was the Ottoman currency unit issued between 1326-1819. Starting
Aspru in the later half of the 15th century, up to the end of the 17th century, the Ottoman aspru was the legal
tender of Walachia.
popular name given in Moldova arround 1632 to the silver coin with face value of 3 groszy issued by
Babcă
the Polish kingdom starting from 1528 and subsequently also by another state authorities.
silver coin issued starting 1365-1368 by Vlaicu Vodă, the ruler of Walachia (1364-1377) and then by his
succesors. In the beginning one ban was equal to 1/3 of a ducat or 1/2 of a dinar, all three face values
Ban token together formed the first monetary sistem of Walachia; it is also a name given to the Hungarian
silver dinar in the documents issued in Walachia since 1594-1598; during the reign of Mihai Viteazul
(1593-1601) an Ottoman aspru hat the same value as two bani (= Hungarian dinars).
popular name given in the 17th century in Walachia to a silver coin equal to 3 groszy, issued starting
Costanda 1528 by the Polish kingdom and also by other states or cities vested with the power to mint coins;
costanda was worht 10 bani (= Hungarian dinars).
generic popular name given in the Romanian Provinces during the 17th-19th centuries to the gold coins
Galben
(such as Austrian ducats or Turkis altuni).
(”lion”), popular name used in Romanian provinces in the 17th-18th centuries for the Dutch leeuwenda-
Leu alder; it was used also as a account money issued in Moldova and Walachia around the middle of the
18th century, and divided into 40 para;it was used until 1867.
Ottoman silver coin worth initial 3 akcè (= aspri) issued starting 1623; it was also a money of account
Para worth 1/40 of one leu used in Walachia and Moldova starting from the middle of 18th century and
thereafter in the United Principalities and Romania until 1867.
potrojnik in Polish (= piece of three); popular name used in Moldova during the 17th and the 18th
Potronic centuries for the silver coin with face value of 3 groszy issued starting 1528 in the Polish kingdom and
also by other states or cities; sometime it was equal to 10 aspri or 10 bani.
(”zander”), popular name used in Moldova in the 17th and 18th centuries to designate a silver coin, bilon
Şalău alloy or bronze, worth 1 shilling, issued in Poland, Lithuania, Baltic cities and Prussia. Actualy şalău is
the Romanian distorted pronunciation of the Polish word ”şelong” (= shilling).

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Contribuţii la istoria vocabularului românesc: nume de monede poloneze care au

circulat în Moldova. I. Potronic

Cuvinte-cheie: Potronic, vocabular, monedă poloneză, Moldova.

Rezumat: În această scurtă intervenţie autorul analizează atestările denumirilor de monede poloneze care au cir-
culat în spaţiul românesc. Întrucât acestea sunt foarte numeroase, şi-a îndreptat atenţia doar asupra uneia dintre
ele, anume „potronicul”. „Potronic” este un termen atestat în special pe teritoriul Moldovei şi mai puţin în celelalte
provincii româneşti. Desemna o monedă divizionară din argint utilizată frecvent în variate tranzacţii sau la plata
unor taxe şi impozite, motiv pentru care beneficiază de un fond documentar extins.

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 C. Croitoru, Contributions to the history of the romanian vocabulary

Revenind la chestiunea originii numelui acestei monede, etimologia propusă şi acceptată este potrojnik (po + tro-
jnik), care în limba polonă înseamnă „de trei” sau „triplu” (adică „ban de trei groşi”) şi care în literatura numismatică
românească a intrat sub denumirea de troiak (= trojaki).
Prezenţa sa masivă – cum am arătat, sugestiv ilustrată atât pe cale literară cât şi arheologică, nu reprezintă o
excepţie, ba din contră, confirmă realităţi istorice. Aceşti potronici au suplinit într-o măsură lipsa numerarului de
pe piaţă.

Из истории румынской лексики: названия польских монет, распространявшихся в

Молдове. I. Потроник

Ключевые слова: потроник, лексика, польские монеты, Молдова.

Резюме: В этой краткой статье автор анализирует название одной из многих польских монет, бывших в
обращении на румынском пространстве, а именно потроника. Это название использовалось на территории
Молдовы и меньше известно в других румынских провинциях. Это была серебряная монета, которая часто
использовалась при заключении различных сделок или при оплате налогов, поэтому она широко упоми-
нается в документальных источниках.
Возвращаясь к вопросу о происхождении названия этой монеты, следует сказать, что оно этимологически
восходит к слову «потройник» (po + trojnik), что в переводе с польского означает «три» или «тройной»;
в румынскую нумизматическую литературу она вошла как «трояк» (= Trojaki). Тот факт, что потроники
широко известны как по документальным, так и по археологическим источникам, соответствует историче-
ским реалиям и свидетельствует о том, что они в какой-то степени заменили недостаток наличных денег
на рынке.

12.04.2019

Dr. Costin Croitoru, ”Carol I” Museum of Brăila, Piaţa Traian 3, Brăila, Romania; “Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu” Sta-
te University, Piaţa Independenţei 1, Cahul, Republic of Moldova, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4732-2301, e-
mail: costin_croitoru1@yahoo.com

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