Ducats are called royal denominations for a reason. These coins minted in gold have always had a high value - formerly for purchasing, today for collecting. The first ducat coins in Poland were minted by Sigismund I the Old, but his ducats, as well as those of his son (Sigismund Augustus), are practically unavailable in commerce. In practice, the first available ducats of Royal Poland are precisely the last Danzig ducats of Stefan Batory, although they too are not easy to include in the collection.
A nice, natural piece. Slightly off-center minting of the reverse. Nice luster.
Type with bust of the king in armor decorated with a lion's head, minted 1584-1587.
A variety with an inner obverse obturator made of cord, the other of pearls and beads.
Obverse: bust of the king to the right, in armor, in a double surround, around the legend:
∙STEPHANVS∙D:G∙REX∙POL∙D∙PRVS∙.
Reverse: shield of the coat of arms of Gdansk, held by two lions, in a pearl border, around legend:
MONE∙NO∙AVR∙CIVI∙GEDANENSIS∙86, mint mark.
