Schilling Siege coinage

Features

Issuer City of Danzig (Polish States)
King Stephen Báthory (1576-1586)
Period Danzig rebellion (1575-1577)
Type Standard circulation coin
Year 1577
Value 1 Schilling = ⅓ Groschen (1 Szeląg = ⅓ Grosza)
Currency First Złoty (1577)
Composition Billon (.125 silver)
Weight 1.13 g
Diameter 20 mm
Shape Round (irregular)
Technique Hammered
Demonetized Yes
Number
N#
96146
References Kop# 7387
Edmund Kopicki; 1995. Ilustrowany skorowidz pieniedzy polskich i z Polska związanych / Część 1.1. Teksty Poz. 1-7058. Polskie Towarzystwo Numizmatyczne - Zarząd Główny, Warsaw, Poland.
And 3 more volumes.

Obverse

A figure of jesus holding an imperial orb with a cross.

Script: Latin

Lettering: DEFENDE•NOS•CHRISTE

Translation: Defend us, Christ.

Reverse

The emblem of the city, a crown and two crosses below it. The first half of the date is on the left, next to the first cross, and the second half of the date is on the right.

Script: Latin

Lettering: SOLIDVS•CIVI•GEDANENSIS

Unabridged legend: SOLIDVS CIVITAS GEDANENSIS

Translation: Solidus (or: Shilling, Szeląg, Schilling) City of Danzig.

Edge

Smooth.

Mint

Gdańsk, Poland (1217-1937)

Comments

Note: This coin was minted during the Siege of Gdańsk in 1577. During the election of the Polish king, the candidate from Transylvania (Stephen Báthory) won, but the city didn't want to accept it. The magistrate voted in favour of the Austrian candidate, Maximillian II, as he promised the city more priviliges than Báthory. This would eventually lead to a conflict between the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the city of Gdańsk. 

 

While the coin is silver, it was actually minted with silver of very bad quality. The fineness was described as 2/16, meaning 12.5% or a hallmark of 125 silver. This is why most coins were found in a very bad state.

 

The mintage isn't known, but according to estimates about 601-3000 pieces survived until the present day.

 

There are a few different (likely six) types of this coin, which usually differ by the symbol at the top of the emblem. The most common type is the one shown below, minted by Caspar Goebel, but there's also a type minted by Tallemann. It's usually of worse quality than the others, but only some have a different symbol, usually a cross instead of a colon. Despite running the mint from October 14th, these were minted for quite a short time, somewhere between August 23rd and September 14th 1577.

 

Kopicki 7387
Price:
Picture: © WCN

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Date VG F VF XF AU UNC
1577 

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Numista Rarity index: 100 Search tips
This index is based on the data of Numista members collections. It ranges from 0 to 100, 0 meaning a very common coin or banknote and 100 meaning a rare coin or banknote among Numista members.

Bullion value: USD 0.11 Search tips
This value is given for information purpose only. It is based on a price of billon at 0 USD/kg. Numista does not buy or sell coins or metal.

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