Horses
Poland - 1/2 Grosz

Owner Comments:

Purchased on eBay auction on 4/3/2011. This is an almost uncirculated example of a 460-year old coin. When I saw it on eBay, I fell in love with the antiquity and beauty of this little coin.

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.

OBVERSE: The obverse of the coin bears the text [* MONETA * MAGNI * DUCAT 9 LITVA] along with the Lithuanian coat of arms symbolism of a knight on horseback.

REVERSE: The reverse bears the text [* SIGIS * AVG * REX * PO * MAG * DVX * LI] translated as "Sigisimund Augustus, King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania". This side of the coin bears the very old 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.