Here is one of the icons of King Sigismund Augustus' minting.
A countersigned half-talar of"Neapolitan sums," an issue related to the war with Moscow over Inflants.
Queen Bona Sforza, when leaving Poland in 1556, took considerable treasures to Italy, which she lent there to the Viceroy of Naples, the Duke of Alba. The loan was to amount to as much as 430,000 ducats (bearing interest at 10%), but through Bona's quick death in 1557 and doubts about her will, its repayment was called into question. Only after long years of correspondence and diplomatic negotiations did Sigismund Augustus manage to recover part of the loan. These were the famous "Neapolitan sums."
They were paid out in Spanish and Neapolitan thalers and semi-talers, which, after being transported to the country, it was decided to melt them down and convert them into national coinage. However, these plans were quickly thwarted by wartime necessity. It was decided only to stamp them with the royal countermark (crowned with the SA monogram with the date on the sides), which was given a forced rate, at 30 Polish groszy per half-taler, and 60 per thaler. A very large sum for the time."
As Tadeusz Kalkowski recalls, "...in the universal issued at the same time, he assured that after the war was over he would redeem them at the same rate. This apparently happened, because these countermarked thalers are among the great numismatic rarities today...".
The present piece with a countermark stamped on the half thaler of Philip II, in an undescribed variety in the Ivanauskas-Cesnulis catalog with the titular ...REX ARAGON VTRISIG.
Very nicely preserved.
Silver, diameter 35 mm, weight 14.36 g.
