Szeląg - Jan II Kazimierz Waza Wilno mint

The 1652 szeląg from Wilno falls squarely in the reign of Jan II Kazimierz, a period of catastrophic military and financial strain — the Swedish invasion known as the Deluge was still three years away, but Cossack uprisings and war with Muscovy had already gutted the Commonwealth's treasury. Billon coinage of this type was struck in enormous quantities across multiple mints precisely because the state could not sustain silver production. The Wilno mint operated under the Grand Duchy of Lithuania's authority, giving these issues a distinct administrative lineage from their Crown counterparts struck at Ujazdów or Kraków.

Kop. 3583 covers a narrow die grouping; collectors should note that Wilno szelągi of this decade vary considerably in silver content batch to batch, a direct consequence of inconsistent alloy sourcing during wartime.