Coins

Coins are the largest collection of the Departament of Numismatics. It consists of West-Pomeranian (ca. 9,000), European and non-European (ca. 17,000), Polish (ca. 3000) and ancient (over 700) coins.

The most precious part of this collection are West-Pomeranian coins illustrating the history of money in Western Pomerania since the beginning of its production in the region (the 11th century) to the last coins minted in Szczecin (1753) and Stralsund (1808). The oldest minted  denarii are associated with West-Pomeranian dukes Bogislaw I and Casimir I (1156–1187) and origin from mints in Kołobrzeg, Szczecin, Kamień Pomorski, Prenzlau and Demmin. The central point of the group is a series of coins of the last West-Pomeranian rulers of the Griffin dynasty: Philip II, Francis I and Bogislaw XIV, with occasional and commemorative issues minted to commemorate certain events associated mainly with the rulers as their coronation, wedding, coverage of government, death, etc.

The most numerous collection are European and non-European coins, among which German ones – from early-mediaeval to contemporary from GDR and FRG – stand out. Numerous thalers from a number of states which were parts of the German Reich, above all,  free imperial cities of Hamburg and Lübeck, are particularly noteworthy. Objects of special scientific value are early-mediaeval denarii, originating the most probably from dispersed Pomeranian treasures. Raw material base of such precious-metal-rich lands, as Saxony or Mansfeld made German coins play the most important role in European monetary market, and became model for neighbouring countries.

A less numerous group are Polish coins, or those historically related to Poland. The number of objects is different for various ages, growing towards the 19th and the 20th centuries. Among numerous donations coming in 1950s and 1960s, the most numerous were coins of low values, like półtorak (one-and-a-halfer), three-grosz or szeląg (one third of grosz). In 1970s first purchases were made, which enriched the poor collection of Polonica. Interesting coins from the Gdańsk mint of 1581, 1633 and 1650 were made during the reign of Stefan Batory and rulers from the House of Vasa, when coins were minted in a gradual order (from denarius to ducat). Coins of the last king of Poland, Stanisław August Poniatowski were characterized  by high artistic level on account on employing renown medallists in the Warsaw mint and using new minting devices. An interesting point of this collection is a talar of Targowica Confederation from 1793. A memento from the period of Congress Poland is a complete collection of  coins minted during the November Uprising by Polish insurrectionary government.

The collection of ancient coins includes Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Celtic objects. The most numerous are definitely the Roman ones, most of all, denarii and antoniniani. Less numerous Greek coins, originating from various locations of ancient world, are also noteworthy. Attention is deserved by a silver tetradrachm of Alexander III the Great, king of Macedon (336–323), tetradrachms of the rulers of Egypt and imitations of tetradrachms of Geto-Dacians fro the 1st century B.C.

  • Skarb szelągów krzyżackich z Kamienia Pom. z XV w., srebro, stan przed konserwacją. fot. B. Grzonka
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  • Złote i srebrne monety greckie i rzymskie od IV w. p.n.e. do VI w., fot. M. Pawłowski
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  • Szwecja, Karol XII, ½ talara płytowego, 1716, miedź, 140,4 mm x 91,7 mm, fot. M. Pawłowski
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  • Skarb denarów z końca XIV w. z Łagiewnik gm. Łobez, srebro, fot. M. Pawłowski
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  • Bawaria Henryk II (cesarz), denar, 1009/10, mennica Ratyzbona, srebro, Ø 20,2 mm, fot. M. Pawłowski
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  • Saksonia-Altenburg, Jan Filip I, talar, 1619, mennica Saalfeld, srebro, Ø 44,2 mm, fot. M. Pawłowski
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  • Niderlandy Płn. naśladownictwo rosenobla ang. Edwarda IV, 1585-87, złoto, Ø 38,6 mm, fot. M. Pawłowski
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  • Polska, mennica Gdańsk: Stefan Batory, dukat, 1581, złoto, Ø 22,9 mm; Władysław IV dukat, 1633, złoto, Ø 23,9 mm; Jan Kazimierz, dukat, 1650, złoto, Ø 25,1 mm, fot. M. Pawłowski
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