A beautifully preserved Prussian fals.
Minted in wicked silver, the coin first appeared in Polish circulation in Greater Poland on October 15, 1770. According to Friedrich von. Schrőter the counterfeiting of gold coins continued until 1772, which was also confirmed by E. Bannicke. Thus, we are dealing with a production of only two years. Pieces caught by customs chambers were marked with the punch of the Probierz General, an example of which can be found on the half-gold offered in this auction. Uncaptured coins circulated, as exemplified by the relatively numerous pieces of these coins in circulating condition known from the auction market.
Coins with such exquisitely preserved details as on the present piece, however, are among the tremendous rarities. The only visible signs of circulation here are a few background freshnesses in front of the royal head.
Obverse: head to the right, in the rim legend:
STANISLAUS AUG.D.G.REX POL.M.D.L.;
Reverse: crowned five-field escutcheon with the coats of arms of the Crown, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Ciołek coat of arms of the Poniatowskis, in a laurel wreath. Lower the initials of Frederick Sylma - FS and the denomination mark 4.GR., in the rim the legend:
LXXX-EX-MARCA-PURA-COL:1767-;
An item that is an amazing testimony to the era of the decline of the splendor of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, being one of the evidences of the destruction of the national economy by its Prussian neighbor, grown to power thanks to the mistakes of the Polish nobility.
