The time of Stefan Batory is a period dominated by small coinage - from the shekel to the trojak. Issues of high denominations, such as sixpences, are small and sporadic. In Vilnius, this occurs only twice in the ten-year reign of the king - in 1581 and 1585. The small issues are the main reason why this denomination is missing from many collections today.
This is the distinctive last Lithuanian sixpence of this king. The issue features the coat of arms of Lithuanian Chancellor Leo Sapieha under the portrait of the ruler.
Attractive for this denomination. With a very nice surface luster. With a mint tin flaw on the obverse. Reverse well struck, very nice in presentation.
Variety with the mint mark - a leaf - placed between the shields.
Variant LIT / LIT, with the leaf with a tail, and the crown of the reverse without the jewel and decorations on the bail.
A rare and typologically difficult coin to acquire.
Obverse: bust of the king in crown and armor, facing right. In the rim:
STEP.D.G.REX-PO.M.D.LIT.
Reverse: shields with the coats of arms of Poland, Lithuania and Batory under the crown and the denomination, with the date 8-5 on the sides and a leaf in between. In the rim:
GROS.ARGEN.SEX.M.D.LIT.
