15th Century Hungary Silver Denar “Dracula” Coin

“Dracula” Coins Struck By The Real-Life Van Helsing

When Bela Lugosi donned the cape and fangs to play the starring role in Universal Studios’ 1931 film Dracula, it seemed like the Hungarian-born actor really WAS Dracula! With his Eastern European accent and continental charm, Lugosi was born for the part. At the end of the film, the Transylvanian vampire count was neatly dispatched in his coffin by Professor Abraham Van Helsing, who destroyed the vampire by pounding a stake through its heart. It was all pure Hollywood hokum based on the gothic horror novel of the same name written in 1897 by Irish author Bram Stoker. But before you close the book on this chapter of cinematic history, consider the actual history that supplied Stoker with his novel’s source material, and you have the makings of a bonafide stranger-than-fiction tale!

Vlad The Impaler — The Real Dracula

The actual Count Dracula was a man named Vlad III, who was prince of Wallachia on three different occasions during the 15th Century. He was better known as Vlad Dracula, so named because his Father, Vlad II, had joined the Order of the Dragon, a military order formed to defend Christianity against the invading Ottoman Turks following the fall of Constantinople. Dragon in the Wallachian tongue was “Dracul,” Thus Vlad II was nicknamed Vlad Dracul and his son was referred to as Vlad Dracula. During Vlad Dracula’s second and longest reign from 1456-1462 he developed a rather sanguinary reputation for dealing with his enemies by impaling them on long sharpened stakes driven into the ground. Some stories even recount how Dracula feasted amid a forest of impaled victims. No wonder he was also known as Vlad the Impaler!

Despite these lurid tales, Dracula was an effective warlord when it came to battling the invading Turks, who were deathly afraid of the crazed Wallachian Voivode — and not without good reason. In one instance, a Turkish army came upon a field of impaled Turks that had been taken prisoner earlier during one of Dracula’s raids and soon decided that turning around and marching in the other direction seemed like a good plan of action.

The Hungarian King Who Betrayed Dracula

By 1462 Dracula needed help in his war and sought out King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary for assistance. Rather then provide aid, Corvinus instead used Dracula as a fall guy in a pact he made with the Turks. For their guarantee of leaving Hungary alone, Corvinus promised to remove Dracula from the field. Since this would not look good in the eyes of religious leaders — particularly Pope Pius II — Corvinus had documents forged that “proved” it was actually Dracula who had made deals with the Turks! Corvinus then arrested Dracula and imprisoned him for nearly 13 years, thus serving as the real-life Van Helsing to the real-life Dracula.

Supplies Are Limited So Order Yours Now!

Now you can hold a piece of that blood-soaked history in your hands with this 15th Century Hungarian Silver Denar struck during the reign of King Matthias Corvinus. Typical of the era, each coin features a portrait of Mary and the Baby Jesus on the obverse. The coin also comes in Circulated condition, meaning it changed hands often when it was used in commerce more than 500 years ago. Who knows, maybe even Vlad Dracula himself carried some of these coins in his pocket while serving time as an “honored guest” at the court of King Matthias Corvinus! Each coin will come housed in a rectangular holder that includes a Certificate of Authenticity. Supplies are limited so order yours now!