King Sigismund II Augustus ordered the opening of a mint at Dahlen Castle. The proceeds from coin production were to be used to pay off the king’s debt to the garrisons stationed in the area. Hetman Jan Hieronim Chodkiewicz oversaw the project, and Valenty Überfeld supervised the mint. This issue, which lasted only two years (1572–1573) and comprised just four denominations, was the first and last issue of coins bearing the coats of arms of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from that castle.
The coin comes from an outstanding contemporary collection at Zbiór.com and is illustrated on its website.
