1548 1/2 Grosz

I can't write a lot today, but I wanted to post a picture of the little beauty that came in the mail today. About 10 days ago I snagged a very old coin bearing a rider on horseback primarily because of its prominent feature of a horse (for my custom set). Little did I know it would have such historical significance and how beautiful it would be in hand!

This coin was minted during the time of informal union of the empires of Poland and Lithuania. It was minted during the important transition year of 1548 -- Sigismund I the Old (Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland) died in this year, and thereafter his only son Sigismund II Augustus took the throne.

The obverse of the coin bears the Lithuanian coat of arms symbolism of a knight on horseback, known today as Vytis. This is a very old symbol traced back as far as the mid 1300s.

Many of you will recognize the reverse heraldic eagle, a part of the original Piast Dynasty coat of arms dating to 992, and still today a part of the official coat of arms of Poland. The reverse bears the text [* SIGIS * AVG * REX * PO * MAG * DVX * LI] translated as "Sigismund Augustus, King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania", attesting to its minting after the death of Sigismund I the Old.

Happy collecting!

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