Prussia 1530 groschen
This specimen was part of lot 22681 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Chicago, August 2019), which sold for $780. The catalog description[1] noted, "GERMANY. Octet of Silver Minors (8 Pieces), 1530-1861. All NGC Certified. 1) West Prussia 1530 Groschen, Sigismund I of POLAND, NGC AU-50. ...A good mix of types that mostly would have circulated in Silesia and western POLAND." The kingdom of Poland came under the rule of the king of Sweden, Sigismund III, in 1587. He converted to Roman Catholicism to accept the Polish crown, which caused the Swedish diet to depose him. He invaded Sweden in an attempt to reclaim his throne but was unsuccessful. The expenses of the war damaged and weakened the Polish monarchy, but the main source of Polish weakness was the greed and selfishness of the Polish nobility. This type was struck 1528-35 and should probably be filed under Poland, as the margrave of Prussia struck his own groschen.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 2.06 g, silver.
Catalog reference: Kopicki 3084.
- Cuhaj, George S., Thomas Michael and Douglas Nicol, Standard Catalog of German Coins, 1501-Present, 3rd Ed. Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2011.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, The August 2019 Chicago ANA Auction: World Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2019.
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