POLAND. Księstwo pomorskie (Duchy of Pomerania). Bogislaw XIV, 1625-1637. Taler 1635 (Silver, 43 mm, 29.09 g, 7 h), Koszalin (Köslin) or Szczecin (Stettin). BOGISLAVS✱XIV✱D✱G✱DVX✱S✱P✱C✱ET✱V✱P✱R✱ Draped and cuirassed bust of Bogislaw XIV to right. Rev. EP - :CAM:CO:GVTZK✱TER✱LEOB✱E✱BV✱ - DO Crowned coat of arms with two wild man supporters. Davenport 7287. Hildisch 327 var. (slightly differing bust). Kopicki 4277. Olding/Krüger/Hahn 221b. Pogge 1085. Rare. A wonderful coin, beautifully toned and sharply struck. Very light smoothing and minor scratches on the obverse, otherwise, extremely fine.



These impressive Talers, featuring a detailed portrait of the last Duke of Pomerania, Bogislaw XIV, were minted during the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) to pay the substantial contributions demanded by various military leaders. After Generalissimus Wallenstein (1625-1634) and his imperial troops occupied Pomerania in 1627, the Swedish King Gustav II Adolf (1611-1632) landed in Pomerania in 1630 and forced Bogislaw XIV into an alliance. Bogislaw XIV attempted to remain neutral, but this came at the cost of enormous protection payments to both warring parties.

The dies for this coin were crafted by the talented goldsmith and engraver Gottfried Tabbert († 1664) from Szczecin. To this day, there is considerable debate about which of these highly varied Taler issues originated in Koszalin and which in Szczecin. Previously, it was assumed that all talers featuring a bishop's title in the legend and a cross at the center of the coat of arms - such as the reverse of our piece - were struck in Koszalin. However, due to the lack of reliable sources, this assumption cannot be confirmed. Regardless of its exact origin, this Taler is not only an important historical artifact of the devastating Thirty Years' War but also a work of remarkable artistic quality.