Groschen Siege coinage

Danzig struck these pieces during the city's prolonged resistance against Stefan Batory, King of Poland, who besieged the city from 1576 after it refused to recognize his election to the Polish throne. The siege lasted into 1577, cutting off normal trade and forcing the city to produce emergency coinage to pay its garrison and maintain civic functions. Danzig ultimately negotiated a settlement rather than surrendering outright, paying a substantial indemnity while retaining most of its traditional privileges.

The multiple Kopicki references reflect genuine die variations across the series — siege pressures meant less rigidity in production, and no two strikings are quite alike.