The rich gold and silver deposits caused a steep rise of population. In 1336 "Goldeck" was elevated to the status of a royal mining community by King John of Bohemia, the exploited metal was used for minting the Prague groschen. However, the deposits were mostly depleted around the 15th century. Moreover, the town was occupied by Hussite warriors in 1423 and totally destroyed in 1438 and again in 1480 by the local lord John Tunkl of Brníčko. These disasters finished the period of prosperity; the mines were abandoned.