Elbing — a wealthy Hanseatic port on the Vistula delta — came under Swedish military occupation in 1626 when Gustav II Adolf pushed into Royal Prussia during his war against Sigismund III of Poland. The city retained limited municipal privileges, including the right to strike coinage, which the Swedes exploited to help finance their campaign. This 1.5 talar denomination is an unusual fractional unit, almost certainly struck to meet specific payroll demands rather than ordinary trade needs.
The three Kopicki references suggest documented die variants for the type — not surprising given the improvised nature of occupation mint operations at Elbing.
Elbing — a wealthy Hanseatic port on the Vistula delta — came under Swedish military occupation in 1626 when Gustav II Adolf pushed into Royal Prussia during his war against Sigismund III of Poland. The city retained limited municipal privileges, including the right to strike coinage, which the Swedes exploited to help finance their campaign. This 1.5 talar denomination is an unusual fractional unit, almost certainly struck to meet specific payroll demands rather than ordinary trade needs.
The three Kopicki references suggest documented die variants for the type — not surprising given the improvised nature of occupation mint operations at Elbing.