The most beautiful Nagyban thaler to have survived to our time!
A specimen piece whose beauty was recognized by NGC with an impressive MS66 rating.
This is not only the highest grade, the so-called Top Pop, but also the only one so high in the NGC and PCGS grading for both vintages of this issue. When the next note is only MS64!
The present piece impresses above all with its unprecedented mint fresh background. It has a beautiful luster across the surface, which is enhanced by a light, cabinet-like patina. This, combined with the very high quality of the embossing, superb relief and stamps with no signs of long use, gives full confirmation of this impressive grade.
When assuming the throne, King Stefan had to face not only the opposing city of Gdansk, but also the monetary chaos following the rule of Sigismund Augustus and the long period of interregnum. As early as 1578, he introduced a new minting ordinance, which provided for the minting of denominations ranging from the ducat, through thalers, half-talers, trojacks, to pennies and shekels. In 1580 he expanded the law to include sixpences, half-pennies and denarii. In reality, however, his minting was dominated by trojaks and shekels, and denominations higher than that, including the sixpence, are very rare coins today.
One of the few thalers of this king appearing on the market are those from the Nagybanyi mint minted in 1585-1586.
This issue is most likely the result of a loan taken for war needs by Batory in his native country, which was paid to him not in local money, but in a coin minted under his stamp - as King of Poland.
We strongly recommend it, as it is the most beautiful thaler of this king we have had in our entire history.
