Ducats are called the “royal denomination” for good reason. These gold coins have always been of great value—historically for their purchasing power, and today as collector’s items. 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 on the market. In practice, the first ducats from Royal Poland that are available are the last Gdańsk ducats of Stefan Batory, though even these are not easy to add to a collection.
Minted in the year of the king’s death.
A design featuring a bust of the king in armor adorned with a lion’s head, struck between 1584 and 1587.
A variant with an inner border on the obverse made of pearls and beads.
Obverse: bust of the king facing right, in armor, within a double border; the legend around it reads:
∙STEPHANVS∙D:G∙REX∙POL∙D∙PRVS∙
Reverse: the coat of arms of Gdańsk, held by two lions, within a beaded border, with the legend around it:
MONE∙NO∙AVR∙CIVI∙GEDANENSIS∙86, mint mark.
