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Grosz litewski - Sigismund III Vasa Wilno, bust
| Issuer | Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth |
|---|---|
| Year | 1600-1627 |
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| Composition | Billon (.281 silver) (0.359 for 1607-1610) |
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| Obverse description | Draped and armored bust of Sigismund III Vasa facing right, crowned with an ornate royal crown adorned with fleur-de-lis and cross motifs, wearing a ruffled collar and beaded mantle clasp visible at the truncation. The effigy is rendered in a bold, somewhat crude style typical of early 17th-century Lithuanian mint production. The Latin legend encircles the bust along the periphery, reading SIG III DG REX PO M D L, abbreviated for Sigismundus III Dei Gratia Rex Poloniae Magnus Dux Lithuaniae. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The Lithuanian grosz occupied an awkward administrative position throughout Sigismund III's reign — nominally integrated into the Commonwealth's currency system yet minted at Wilno under separate Lithuanian treasury oversight, which produced chronic inconsistencies in billon fineness across the run. The brief spike to .359 silver between 1607 and 1610 almost certainly reflects a short-lived reform attempt rather than stable policy; the alloy dropped back without formal announcement.
Sigismund's near-constant warfare — against Sweden, Russia during the Time of Troubles, and the Ottoman frontier — drained bullion reserves and kept mint output under pressure for most of these decades.