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Szeląg - Jan II Kazimierz Waza Bydgoszcz mint
| Issuer | Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth |
|---|---|
| Year | 1650 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | First Zloty (1573-1795) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Central field bears the royal cipher of Jan II Kazimierz Waza, formed by an interlaced 'IC' (Ioannes Casimirus) monogram surmounted by a royal crown. The date 1650 is divided across the field, flanking the monogram on left and right. Below the cipher appears the mint mark 'GG' (or similar initials of the Bydgoszcz mint master), separated by pellets. The design is struck on a roughly shaped copper flan typical of hammered coinage of the period. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
The szeląg coinage of Jan II Kazimierz represents one of the more contentious fiscal decisions of the Commonwealth's mid-century crisis years. Copper small denomination coins were struck in enormous quantities from the late 1640s onward to fund the catastrophic wars against Cossack rebels, Muscovy, and Sweden simultaneously — what Poles call the Potop, the Deluge. The Bydgoszcz mint was one of several pressed into service to meet demand that no responsible monetary policy could justify.
Kop#1542 and Kop#1543 represent distinct die varieties documented by Kopicki, differentiated primarily by legend punctuation and crown form above the shield.