Half schilling

John Frederick (1569-1600) took over the Duchy of Szczecin during a period of monetary crisis. It was not until 1580, after a half-century gap in coin issuance, that the Szczecin mint minted a small number of quarter-thalers. The ruler's poor financial condition and the lack of silver were also reflected in the scarcely minted shillings, their multiples, and fractions. The half-shilling coins in question here were only issued by the mint in 1582 and 1594. All shilling denominations have the same stamp design, which was intended to testify to the unity of the state and dynasty, as well as to the ruler's religiosity. John Frederick became the first titular bishop of Cammin in 1557, following the introduction of the Reformation and the death of the last Catholic bishop. The iconography adopted on the obverse - a crowned griffin depicted in a fighting position: ascended, with wings spread and clawed paws - conveyed the strength and power of the ruler. The Rügen coat of arms on the reverse shows the takeover of Rügen by the House of Griffins after the Rügen dynasty died out in 1325. The stamps of the half-shilling in question were made by the Szczecin goldsmith Gregor Westpfahl, who was employed at the mint as Münzmeister. We can see an eagle's wing, which is the artist's signature, incorporated into the legend of the reverse. Interestingly, Westpfahl minted the half-shilling on the Lübeck 64-thaler Münzfuß, while the lighter Pomeranian Münzfuß was in use in the Duchy. This was an illegitimate practice that aggravated an already chaotic situation and subsequently contributed to serious economic problems. Genowefa Horoszko