1/24 of a thaler (groschen)

The groschen with the name and title of the Swedish king Charles XI (1655–1697) are part of the Pomeranian monetary system, which functioned independently of the Swedish one. The mint in Szczecin produced these coins intermittently from 1670 to 1688. They were to replace the circulation of popular double schillings, which were discontinued and those remaining in circulation were devalued to one and a half schillings. High silver prices led to a decline in the value of silver coins to gold coins and minting small coins was not viable. The exchange rate of coins was imposed by the authorities, in line with the general trend on the market. In 1667, pursuant to the monetary union in Zinna (Jüterbog, Germany), a new, higher Münzfuß and a new 24-groschen thaler, the so-called courant thaler, were introduced. The old Reichsthaler was worth 28 groschen. Mint matters were entrusted to the new tenant and mintmaster of the Szczecin mint in 1672-1676, Daniel Syvertz, whose initials can be found on many silver and gold denominations. The general pattern of imagery was preserved on the groschen stamps. On the obverse it refers to the ruler, and on the reverse to the name of the denomination minted to the Zinna foot. They bear no orb and cross, which was characteristic for groschen. The presented specimen shows a decorative image of a feathered griffin with a wide open beak and a raised sword, with a clearly military meaning. The full name of the king was placed in the rim, even though it was not until 1672 that he was proclaimed an adult and could exercise direct rule. The noteworthy sentence among the inscriptions is: IN JEHOVA SORS MEA (in God my fate), which was also the motto of Charles X Gustav (1622–1660) who preceded Charles XI to the throne. Genowefa Horoszko