The first very rare two-ducat of the city of Torun in an ornate period setting.
A coin absent from auction in Poland for more than 10 years. With only two listings in the archives of Polish companies (Niemczyk 2012, WCN 2013) over the years.
Torun, an important trading city, waited a long time for its first gold coins. They were not issued until 1630, when the city decided to honor the defenders of the city who resisted the Swedish army. From then on, a fairly regular issuance of single ducats began, interspersed with occasional issues of donations.
The first two-ducats were not minted until the last years of John Casimir's reign, just in 1660. When Dutch gold (ducats and dwudukats minted since the 1640s) dominated in Polish purses plundered by wars, the Deluge. These striking, broad coins, in addition to their obvious use in large commercial payments or the hoarding of wealth, were also used for various kinds of ornaments or jewelry. An example of this is the two-dukat just auctioned. A gold-framed coin with a chiseled background. Prepared to serve as a decorative pendant.
The issue of this vintage of two-dukats was probably a small one, as may be evidenced by the fact that the obverse stamp used also for the orts was used for it, preparing only a new reverse. The character of this issue was announced by the legend in the rim(gold coin of the city of Toruń).
Offered for the first time, in the more than 20-year history of our company.
Gold, diameter 34 mm, weight 9.51 g.
Obverse: crowned bust in armor and cloak, with the Order of the Golden Fleece on a thin chain. In the rim:
IOAN CAS D G R POL ET SVE M D L R P
Reverse: an angel with outspread wings, holding an oval cartouche with a coat of arms. On the sides initials HD-L. In the rim:
* COIN AVREA CIVIT THORVNENSIS.
