Poland 1933 5 zlotych
This specimen was lot 3261 in Steve Album Auction 53 (Santa Rosa, CA, September 2025), where it sold for $420. The catalog description[1] noted, "POLAND: Second Republic, AR 5 zlotych, 1933, Queen Jadwiga, a pleasing lustrous mint state example, PCGS graded MS62. The artist (Antoni Madeyski), designed an idealized image of the Polish community and was inspired by Janina Zóltowska's facial features. For him, she represented perfect beauty reminding him of Queen Jadwiga. As a result many people erroneously attribute this image to the Polish Queen." This type was struck at London and Warsaw in 1932-33. Queen Jadwiga is depicted on the obverse; as there were four Polish queens of that name, we don't know which one was intended. The most likely candidate was Jadwiga (1373-99) who was briefly queen regnant before her death at age 25.
Recorded mintage: 11,000,000 plus 100 proofs.
Specification: 11 g, 0.750 fine silver, 28 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM Y21.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Hanbing Feng, Auction 53, featuring Selections from the Dr. Robert A. Rosenfeld, Almer H. Orr III, Dr. Dirk Loer and Joe Sedillot Collections, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2025.
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