History of one portrait of King Jan Kazimierz Waza on copper szelągs from 1660-1661

The story of one portrait of King Jan Kazimierz

Vase on copper szelągs from 1660-1661.

Zielona Góra 2022

Entry.

In 1660, an unknown miner champion at the Royal Mint in Krakow made a beautiful portrait of King Jan Kazimierz on a stamp of Miedziana Avers, a szeląg called Boratyna, the so -called "Portrait with a thick bow." He was so successful that he spread at the Crown Boraratins in Krakow in 1661. At the turn of 1660/61, in the Krakow Mint, Avers stamps were made with this portrait for the Mint of Ujazdowska for the production of Lithuanian boratics, and after their use, the Ujazdowski followers of the Krakow master created royal portraits more and more distant from the pattern, but in each of them we will find echoes of Krakow's manner. These imitation was used not only for the production of Lithuanian coins, but also the crowning until the end of the operation of the Ujazdowska Mint in June 1661. After restarting the Mint of Ujazdowska for the production of the crown colaratics of the second broadcast in April 1663, on some coins from the early production stage, we will also find the imitation of the Krakow portrait resulting from the use of preserved Punc from previous years.

The story is the result of my several years of research. The only external source from which I drew information is the fundamental work of Cezary Wolski "Copper shells of Jan Kazimierz Vaza from 1659-1667".

I would like to thank colleagues of collectors for providing photos of coins that I do not have.

Zdzisław Szuplewski

Chapter one: coins from the Krakow Mint

The oldest chronologically coin with a portrait with a thick bow according to the current state of research is the following copy. It was probably created in the spring of 1660, because previously a punk from 1659 was used to be beaten. The reverse of this coin is already modernized. The Ślepowron coat of arms left, and not, as before in a different shape and in the law, the eagle already has straightened paws, but the small head of the eagle with a tiny crown still refers to the pattern of 1659. In the Wolski directory, he is listed at KK60.B.16.14.

In the Krakow Mint throughout the year 1660 work was underway to modify the image of the eagle in the reverse of Boratynek. Another copy is proof of this. The eagle received a large head in the crown, it is more "fluffy", but due to lack of space, his tail was reduced and his paws were spread more widely. Despite these treatments, the eagle "sits" on the Otokowy inscription, and one of the paws separates the hitch inscription. In the Wolski catalog, the coin has the number KK60.B.16.12.

Considering the production volume of boratnek in the Krakow Mint and a huge number of preserved varieties with a rosette over the crown of the eagle, it can be assumed that only in the autumn of 1660 a breakthrough variety was created. The image of the eagle, which received a high crown, was refined, the rosette replaced with an asterisk disappeared. In the Wolski directory he has the number KK60.C.16.11.a.

At the end of 1660, the production of boratynek with a dot over the crown of the Eagle began. This reverse model will be the dominant in the following year in this mint.

Boratyki from the Krakow Mint is characterized by the best beating quality. Compared to other mint, destructures and coins with errors are very rare. Above, an example of a coin with a dot above the crown and punctuation error on the reverse: Solidr.EG., And below without error. Wolski's coins are not noticed, and the coin with error has the number KK60.C.16.11.b.

The production of boratynek in 1661 in the Krakow Mint began differently than in the previous year. Probably to reduce costs, it was decided to use stamps from the previous year. The number of zero was pierced on the date of the Roman Roman number on the date of the stamps. So this is not a mistake, but the intentional action of the mint. Such "pierces" dates are very rare and are a sensation in the entire broadcast of boratics. We know three varieties with the portrait discussed and a pierced annual date on the reverse.

Boraratics beaten in 1661 with new stamps can be divided into three groups depending on the form of recording the word szeląg, i.e. coins from solid, salt and solidvs. It is worth mentioning that the Solidvs form only occurs in the Krakow Mint. Similarly, only in this mint the second digit one on the date is written in a Roman way. The eagle pattern shaped in late autumn 1660 was used until the end of the Boratynek emissions in the Krakow Mint in 1661, but in two variants. In the newer version, the eagle received an upright neck, longer crown and tail, becoming more majestic. Below is one of the first stamps with this eagle.

The variant with a dot after the date, not over the crown of the eagle is very rare. Wolski's catalog does not record this variant.

A portrait with a thick bow on the obverse and eagle of the 1660 pattern on the reverse.

In the Wolski catalog has the number KK61.B.12.18.1

Eagle formula 1661, this variant in the Wolski catalog has the number KK.61b.12.18.1a. This variety in two variants belongs to popular and is relatively easiest to get.

Solid.re -gn., Eagle of the Pattern 1660. Wolski KK61.B.12.15

The same variety, but the eagle of the pattern 1661, Wolski does not record.

Solid.reg-Ni.polo, Eagle of the Pattern 1660, Wolski KK61.B.12.110

The same variety, but the eagle of the pattern 1661, Wolski does not record.

In the group of szelągs from Solid on the reverse, we know three very rare varieties so far:

Solid.re-Gni.pol, Eagle of the pattern 1661, Wolski KK61.B.12.16. So far, a variety with the eagle of pattern 1660 has not appeared in a public circulation. However, it can be assumed that most, or maybe all previously known varieties, occur with eagles in both variants, and finding them is a matter of time.

Solid.reg-Poloni, Eagle of the pattern 1660, Wolski KK.61.B.12.17.

In the catalog, Wolski still mentions a variety with the inscription Solid.regn-Poloni, but without a photo, and I also do not have this variety in the collection.

Another group of szelągs with a portrait with a thick bow on the obverse are the salt shelves on the reverse. A variety with an inscription on the Salt reverse.reg-ni.polo known in one copy. Wolski does not record. Eagle of the pattern 1661.

Salt.reg - Polon. Wolski KK61.B.12.11, Eagle of the formula 1661.

Salt.regn.polon. Eagle Pattern 1660. Wolski notes at KK61.B.12.13 a variety with the eagle of the pattern 1661

Salt.regn-i.polon. Wolski KK61.B.12.14, Eagle formula 1660

Salt.reg-ni.pol. Wolski KK60.B.12.12, Eagle of the pattern 1660

Among the salts from salt in the reverse, very rare and extremely interesting are Boratyki with the name of the king written on the obverse in the form of casim. We currently know three variants that differ in the training of the Rollet Reverse inscription:

The last group of szelągs with a portrait with a thick bow on the obverse are the szelągi from Solidvs on the reverse. Six varieties are known, and four with the portrait discussed. The most popular is the variety described in Wolski as KK61.B.12.112.b, eagle of the pattern 1660. Solidvs.r -e .. Solidvs.R-EG.Pol

Solidvs.r-eg.polo. In the CK

The last variety Z is below with Soldvs.re-Gni.pol. With Soldvs error instead of Solidvs. At Wolski Noranka at the number KK61.B.12.114, Eagle of the pattern 1660

Chapter two: Lithuanian coins from the Ujazdowska Mint.

In May 1660, in the Ujazdowska Mint, next to the production of crown szelągs, the production of Lithuanian szelągs began as part of the new contract for Lithuania. However, it quickly turned out that Mint Ujazdowska has serious problems with the implementation of both contracts. TL Boratini, who managed the Mint of Ujazdowska and Krakowska, commissioned the latter to make crown reverse stamps for the mint in Ujazdów and most likely moved some of the employees of the Krakow Mint. The effect of these activities are hybrid coins with typically Ujazdów portraits and releases characteristic of the Krakow mint, and thus the increase in the production of crown coins in the Ujazdowska Mint in the summer of 1660. At the turn of 1660/61, the Krakow Mint again supported the Ujazdowska Mint, this time, performing stamps of Lithuanian szeląg. Hybrid coins with Krakow's obverse and Ujazdowski reverse were created in this way. We know three varieties:

Wolski LU61.e.11b.11, Coat of arms of Ślepowron.

Wolski LU61.B.11b.11, coat of arms Sakowicz

Wolski LU61.D.11b.11, coat of arms Korwin.

. After the use of the Ujazdowski Aversu Ujazdowski stamps, the champions began to create portraits of Jan Kazimierz, modeled on the Krakow portrait. Over time, the portraits created in Ujazdów became more and more distant than the Krakow pattern. In this way, many portraits were created with changed facial features, with different bows at the end of the wreath or without a bow, but with preserved features of the Krakow manner. Coins beaten in the Ujazdowska Mint are no longer made as carefully made as in Krakow, there were often various errors on the date, rim subtitles, the use of incorrect coats of arms of people responsible for the issue of money. /I devoted a separate chapter to coat of arms/. Portraits in the style of Krakow on Lithuanian coins appear in three variants; With a wide and narrow bow and without bow. Avers were associated with reverse, on which all varieties of pursuit occur. As we add different variants of the princely mitra, a lot of different varieties and variants of sub-school coats of arms, there are many obverse combinations- there is a lot of reverse . Below a comparison of the Krakow portrait and Ujazdowski portrait in the Krakow style. The TLB monogram is written in the Mint of Ujazdowska wide, the bow changed the shape, and a dot was put before the CAS.

The diagram below shows the chronology of portrait development in the Krakow style in the Ujazdowska Mint. First, it was used on Lithuanian boratins, this is testified by hybrid coins, and only later appeared on the crown boratins.

Diagram of obverse connections with a portrait without bows and all known reverse with pursuit varieties and sub -treasury coats of arms.

In the red frame I marked the varieties that I discovered after the C. Wolski catalog was released.

Diagram of obverse connections with a portrait with a bow and all known reverses with pursuit varieties and tuberculosis coats of arms

The portrait with a narrow bow is so far represented by one variety, which I discovered in autumn 2019. On the reverse there is a pursuit with a large shield and a strange coat of arms of Korwin as a crow standing on a vertical beam. In the harvest/ in the red frame/ coin it looks like:

Chapter three: Crown coins from the Ujazdowska Mint

Crown boratics with a portrait in the Krakow style from the Ujazdowska Mint are very rare. Like Lithuanian coins, they occur with a portrait with a wide and narrow bow and without bow.

Each of the portrait variants is available in different combinations with different variants of two varieties of eagles.

I present currently known combinations of obverse and reverse connections for a change and eagle in the above scheme. I marked the coins I discovered with red frames. Boraratynka with a portrait in the style of Krakow and the eagle of varieties and are rare and hard to access in legible behavior. The rarity of those described in the C. C. Wolski estimates between R2 and R4

Classification of eagles of variety II is more difficult. I believe that the features on the basis of which varieties and variants of coins are separated must be precise , they must not allow any interpretation. While in the variety and such a distinguishing feature is the arrangement of eagles' paws, unfortunately I have trouble with it in variety II. C. Wolski tried to make such a classification and distinguished as many as 16 variants. Unfortunately, the differences in the arrangement of claws and paws of eagles in individual variants are so small that practically imperceptible. There is too much scope for mistakes and interpretation, which discourages collectors. That is why in my collection I decided not to extract the variants of the eagle. I classify these coins according to the obverse variants as in the list below.

It would seem that with the closing of the Ujazdowska Mint in the summer of 1661, the history of Boratynek's emission with the Krakow portrait and its imitation ended. Nothing could be more wrong. As is known at the beginning of April 1663, Mint Ujazdowska resumed operations starting the second broadcast of boratynek. At least in the initial period of activity, the Punce was used to produce from previous emissions. Hence, in the mass of Crown Boratics from 1663 and 1664, we find coins with portraits very similar to Krakow, such as those below.

From the perspective of a huge broadcast, it will never be possible to say that some story is over, that a collection is full. From time to time, there are discoveries of previously unknown varieties and variants and this is fascinating.

Chapter Four: Herbal mistakes.

Boraratynka in 1659-61 is characterized by a huge number of varieties of eagles and pursuit, rocker inscriptions, coats of arms of officials responsible for money emissions, etc. while taking care of the high quality of the coins. This is all the more important if we pay attention to the size of this first emission of copper szelągs. Despite the high care of the quality of the coins, especially in the Krakow mint, with such great emissions there were mistakes on coins. Many collectors collect boratics with mistakes, let's call them obvious. This group includes stamp errors in the record of the date and typos in the rim subtitles, beating errors resulting from manual use of a hammer and stamp. A few examples:

It will not be an exaggeration to say that if a mistake was possible on Boratyna, he was definitely committed. I do not collect such coins, because much more interesting and more difficult to notice, requiring a bit of knowledge in the field of heraldry, there are coat of arms mistakes. On the Crown Boratyns under the Eagle and in Lithuanian boratins near Pogoń there are the coats of arms of officials responsible for state finances, which confirmed the validity of these coins on the territory of the Republic of Poland, something like a contemporary signature of the Minister of Finance on banknotes. As is known in the time of Jan Kazimierz, the Polish state was called the Polish -Lithuanian Commonwealth, as it consisted of two countries connected by the Union; Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. As part of the community, both countries have retained a number of separateness min. separate finances. The great crown tubes took care of the finances of the Kingdom of Poland, during the broadcast of Boratynek it was Jan Kazimierz Krasiński of the Ślepowron coat of arms and his coat of arms was credited to the crown coat. Wincenty Aleksander Gosiewski, the Ślepowron coat of arms was Wincenty Lithuanian. We have a problem with the Gosiewski Treasurer that he performed this function while beating boratics, but he had nothing to do with this emission. On October 12, 1658, in the battle of Werki with the Russians, Wincenty Gosiewski was captured. He was released only in the spring of 1662 and returned to the country, but on November 29, 1662 he was murdered. As we remember in 1662, Boratyk was not beaten. Adam Maciej Sakowicz of the Korwin coat of arms appointed in April 1659, the administrator of the Lithuanian Treasury in April 1659, carried out all obligations related to the and emission of boratynek for Lithuania. He held this function until his death on March 23, 1662 and his coat of arms was authenticated by Lithuanian boratics. For many years, there was a belief that in Lithuanian boratins from 1659-61 there was Gosiewski's coat of arms, despite the fact that in 1894 Wiktor Wittyg announced that it was the coat of arms of Adam Maciej Sakowicz. Zbigniew Kiełb discovered this information again. The trouble is that the coats of arms on Lithuanian boratins were presented in different ways. I will try to explain it. As you know, the coat of arms is a sign, a distinguishing feature of a family testifying to its origin, meaning, adds prestige to the family. Children grow up, start their families, their children. A family consisting of many families is created. Everyone seals with the same coat of arms. Over time, some families in the family are better and they want to emphasize it by adding, changing some elements of the family coat of arms. We say about such coats of arms that they are strange. In the times we are talking about - the 17th century - no one caused problems because of it. It wasn't until the 18th and 19th centuries that the nobility began to take Western European patterns, where the coat of arms identified a specific family, not a family. At that time, Polish and Lithuanian strangles of family coats of arms became separate coats of arms. This interference allows for a better understanding of the existence of various variants of coats of arms on boratins. So it should not be surprising that the Korwin coat of arms is shown on boratins, and this is on a horizontal beam, and this on a vertical trunk or on the warp / cut young spruce or fir the size of a powerful drill with thick and long knots /. It is always the Korwin coat of arms that it is strange. The Sakowicz coat of arms will be called much later. Below is a list of various performances of the Korwin coat of arms at Lithuanian boratins.

We describe the coat as a crow with a gold ring in the bow facing the left, standing on a cut trunk, arranged to the waist, with two knots at the top and two at the bottom. This classic image is shown on the left on the left. On the right, the fantasy of the creator of Puncy - a crow without a ring, and at the bottom it is the Herbs of Korwin. A crow standing on a vertical trunk with unrestrained branches called the warning or on the stump arranged vertically.

On the ranking below, the Kazimierz Krasiński Ślepowron coat of arms. Tearmaths describe this coat of arms as a crow with a gold ring in the beak, standing on a golden bachelor cross, supported on the shoulder of a silver horseshoe. The description is quite general and hence the images of the coat of arms in boratins are diverse, resulting from the imagination of the creators of Punc.

In addition, it should be mentioned that there were no strictly defined rules for presenting coats of arms on boratins and a large role was played by fantasy and skills of the creators of punc coats of coats of boratins are about 2 mm. In the first years of broadcast 1659-Puczatek 1660 Punces were carefully made and there is no problem with distinguishing them. In mid -1660, the Ujazdowska Mint, next to the production of Crown Boratynek, began the beating of Lithuanian boratics. And it is in this mint that we meet coat of arms at Lithuanian and Crown Boratinki. The size of the contract, and thus rush and the obvious mess, the small size of Punc, many variants of coats of arms made by many engravings are the reasons for this phenomenon. The most common mistake is placing the Ślepowron coat of arms on the Lithuanian boratins instead of the Korwin coat of arms as on the example below.

In addition to the combination, the correct Korwin-mistaken blinds can be found by coins with a mistaken Ślepowron coat of arms instead of the coat of arms. This mistake occurs in reverse with "Pogoń with a large shield" and obverse with a portrait without bows and portraits with a bow.

Herbal mistakes in the Ujazdowska Mint concern not only Lithuanian, but also crowning boratics, except that while Lithuanian are rare, they are very rare. Below is an example of the Crown Boratyna from Ujazdów 1661 with a portrait in the style of Krakow with a bow and a mistaken coat of arms of the Corwin instead of the Ślepowron coat of arms.

I was not able to show all coat of arms mistakes, but this is a fascinating topic and worth collecting.

Chapter Firate: Mysterious coin.

At the 10th Auctions of the Numismatic Salon, Mateusz Wójcicki in October 2022 was sold, a perfectly preserved boratynka from 1661, setting a price record for a copper coin sold in Poland. Its existence has aroused a considerable sensation, but we have known this coin since 2015. Then her photos appeared among the collectors, and Cezary Wolski placed her in his catalog.

Since the appearance of this coin, I had doubts as to its originality, just like some of the collectors, because it was distinguished by an unprecedented state of behavior and, more importantly, the content of the reverse indicating its Krakow origin, and in Krakow in Krakow Lithuanian Boratynek was not beaten. Doubts weakened in February 2021 after the appearance of the second copy:

Circle coin, in the original patina, confirmed the originality of both coins. Undoubtedly, the stamps to break them were created in the Krakow Mint. Therefore, questions arose about where and in what purpose these coins were broken. On the one hand, the contract for beating boratics in Krakow only provided for the production of crown coins, but TL Boratini during the emissions of copper szelągs so often bypassed the law that maybe the coins discussed in Krakow. This is indicated by the extraordinary precision of their implementation. For today this problem has not been definitively resolved. In May 2022, a third copy of this rare variety was sold at the world Heritage Auction. Auction photos, on which the strange -looking coin field is visible, caused that the discussion about the originality of these coins has reinbid. Recently, however, new photos of this copy have appeared, on which the coin looks correct.

Based on the accurate analysis of the content of this coin and knowledge, which I have at the moment, I think that the stamps were created in the Krakow Mint for Mint of Ujazdowska where these coins were broken. In my opinion, they were created, maybe not much in memory of the end of the first emission of copper siens beaten in 1659-61. Probably nobody in June 1661 expected that nearly 2 years later in April 1663 it would be necessary to re -broadcast boratics. TL Boratini was known for maximizing profits when minimizing costs from mint activity. We know that the weight of szelągs was underestimated in the mint, illegally significant amounts were beaten outside the contract, the stamps were used for total consumption. We have many examples of using clogged, crumbled, called, repaired stamps. On the other hand, the stamps of the mysterious coin and even Punce were never used later. The only reasonable explanation of such waste is that they were used at the end of the broadcast of boratics. There are no other boratics with such a portrait.

There are no other Lithuanian boratics with such a pun of the Korwin coat of arms:

Not only that the coats of arms differ in shape, the crow on a mysterious coin holds a ring in the bow, and the crow on Lithuanian coins. The ring consists of a wedding ring and a jewel- this dot on the wedding ring visible on the coat of arms on the left. There are no other Lithuanian boratnki with such a pump of Lithuanian pursuit

The case of the coin in question is just one of the many secrets of colaratics emissions that are waiting for the solution.

End

The copper shell of Jan Kazimierz called Bratinki never enjoyed a good reputation. Called vile money, bad szeląg, they were responsible for the fall of the state of the state in the 17th century. It was mainly poor money; peasants, craftsmen and small merchants. We will not find beautiful copies of these coins in the distinguished numismatic collections of the 19th and 20th centuries. To this day, Boratynki is not very popular among collectors. Probably because they are widely available, made of copper and usually in very bad behavior. Just a few years ago, this largest emission of Polish royal coins counting on official data 1.5 billion, and according to the latest research nearly 2 billion coins were practically unknown. It wasn't until 2016 that the enthusiast, amateur Cezary Wolski published a fundamental work about the boratins "Copper shells of Jan Kazimierz Vaza from 1659-1667" giving lovers of these coins "The key to the gate of the colaratin world" as he wrote in the introduction to the book. I believe that Boraratynka is the most beautiful casual coins of the royal Poland. Boraratynka from the first broadcast from 1659-1661 beaten in the Ujazdowska and Krakow Mint. Every time I can get a beautifully preserved boratinka, I am full of admiration for the masters from 360 years ago, who on a disc about 16 mm were able to create a work of art. The overwhelming size of copper emissions makes it practically impossible to collect all varieties and variants. Hence the idea for the story of one portrait that I have tracked for several years. To my knowledge, about 100 varieties and variants with this portrait and its imitation are known.

Mr. Jerzy Chałupski, telling about his work on the catalog of copper coins of King August III during a lecture from the series: "In numismatics you see as much as you know" organized by the Numismatic Cabinet Damian Marciniak used the concept of "Investigative Numismatics". I really like this term because I aptly describes my collection. For me, it is looking for trails, surprises, sensational discoveries, arranging chronology, admiration for the artistry of the creators of the stamps of these small copper coins. Collection of boratics is exciting.

Zdzisław Szuplewski