A very rare and equally impressive thaler of Jan Kazimierz.
The first vintage of the Cracow thalers of this ruler, with his half-figure on the obverse.
Thaler of a historically important issue, one of the purposes of which was to provide the crown treasury with a coin to finance the enlistment of an army. The creation of an army to defeat the Turkish-Cossack forces at Beresteczko in 1651.
A large issue, as indicated by the number of known stamps. On whose later fate, two mint ordinances had a huge impact.
The first, introduced in 1650, which restored the possibility of minting lower denominations. It resulted in the almost complete abandonment of the minting of thaler coinage, which yielded less profit than fine coins. And the second, the Mint Ordinance of 1663, and especially the Tymfs it introduced. It was the sub-value of Polish gold that compounded the puncturing of full-value coinage, including the early thalers of Jan Kazimierz that were snatched from circulation. As a result, today the 1649 thalers, despite many struck pieces, are very rare coins.
The third type of the Cracow thalers of Jan Kazimierz - with the bust of the king without a scepter and sword, with a visible shoulder of armor and a sash on the belt.
A variety with the Saxon coat of arms in the shield, the date in the rim, but without the initials G-P (of mint manager Gerhard Pyrami). Very rare, as indicated by the degree of rarity in Jaroslaw Dutkowski's catalog (R6-R7).
A beautifully presented thaler in a cabinet-like patina.
Listings at the turn of the year few, at very high levels.
Silver, diameter 46.5 mm, weight 28.48 g.
