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1/2 Groat (półgrosz) - Sigismund II August (2d eagle, Topor arms)
| Issuer | Grand Duchy of Lithuania |
|---|---|
| Year | 1562-1565 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | SIGIS AVG REX POL M D L (Translation: Sigismund August, King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania) |
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| Reverse lettering | MONETA MAGNI DUCAT LITVA 1563 (Translation: Coinage of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania) |
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| Additional information |
The Topor arms appearing on this issue identify the coin's connection to the Herburt family — specifically Jan Herburt, who held the lease on the Vilnius mint during the early 1560s. Mint leasing was the standard administrative mechanism in Jagiellonian Lithuania, and it meant that private lessees bore production costs and pocketed profits above the seigniorage owed to the crown, an arrangement that created persistent quality control problems.
The sheer number of Kopicki references catalogued for this type — six distinct entries across a narrow four-year window — reflects the variety of dies and punch combinations used under successive mint administrations rather than any deliberate design program.