How Far Back Can We Go? Seventh Edition! Ended At 1380 Waiting On 1379

Lithuanian 1564 trojak (3 groszy/groats) of Sigismund II. Unlike his father Sigismund I, who used five mints, and later kings who used even more (Sigimund III used ten), Sigismund II minted coins almost exclusively at Vilnius, Lithuania.

(photo by WCN)

It has been my observation that many medieval coins of Malta seem oddly expensive. I haven't bid on one in a while, but when I was filling in my 17th and 16th Centuries, these things always seemed to go for more than I was estimating. I'd say that I was just being cheap and while that has a hint of truth, Maltese coins always seemed to more than what seemed reasonable.

For 1564 AD, I have this Half Batzen from the Germany County of Stolberg-Konigstein-Rochefort:

enjoy the book! It is the type of book to read at least two times, each time finding new perspectives.

For Malta, the comments above are interesing. An explanation for fierce competition on auctions could be that a diverse group of collectors from different regions in the world compete as they are interested in the history and mystery of the little island. The most striking example in my experience are the (common) Leeuwendaalders with (rare) Maltese counterstamps, which are hammered at higher prices than the much rarer prototype of Leeuwendaalder of 1575.

For the next edition I'll use a piece that I forgot to use this edition in the 17th century: a Maltese 4 Tari piece that has six counterstamps (with well characterized dates); a bit like a joker in a card game: unlike the other cards, it can be used many times

Another lovely coin, 1c5d7n5m!

For 1563 I've got yet another worn Elizabeth I English sixpence:

Earlier in my time here on CCF, I wrote a bit about the odd font used on what looks like the letter W of this 3 Pfennig from the German City State of Brandenberg. I thought that it looked a bit like an upside down version of the letter M from the Monster Energy Drink.

Lithuanian 1562 1/2 Groat

great story Numisrob, very interesting, and beautiful shilling

Below a rare jeton from Zeeland (minted in Antwerp), four years before the iconoclastic chaos started in the Netherlands. Apparently, signs of unrest and discontent were already tanglible in 1562. One of the main reasons for tension was the influence of Cardinal Granvelle (Antoine Perellet) who got the most powerful position in the 17 provinces and rules from Brussels. One of Granvelles achievements was a reform of the bishophries of the catholic church, something that was opposed by the provinces. Granvelle also shifted power from the individual provinces to Brussels, so the States of Holland, Zeeland etc lost old privileges.



Dugniolle 2311 Zeeland (Antwerp mint) 'Bad Omen'
OBV Jesus and his disciples in a small boat on wild seas DOMINE SALVA NOS PERIMUS (lord save us - we are perishing)
REV King on horseback wades in the sea IN MARI VIA TVA ET SEMITAE TVAE IN AQVIS MVL

The legends are taken from the Bible:
OBV is from the Gregorian Repertory, Antiphonale Romanum
REV is from the book of Psalms LXXVI, verse 19:
In mari via tua, et semitae tuae in aquis multis: et vestigia tua non cognoscentur.
Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen.

Also for 1562 a Philipsdaalder from the province of Holland.

for 1561 here is a Philipsdaalder from the province of Gelderland, Nijmegen mint




also a jeton, praising the good governance of Margareth of Parma , (half-sister of the king). How ill-founded this idea (propaganda perhaps) is, would be demonstrated 5 years later with the crisis of the Beeldenstorm.



Dugniolle 2297 'good governance of the duchess of Parma'
OBV Balance and opened compass OMNIA NVMERO PONDERE ET MENSVRA 1561
REV M between daisies GECTOIRS DV BVRREAV DES FINANCES

daisies = margrieten in Dutch: a pun alluding to Margareth