Dreipölker

The Dreipölker was a small coin minted by the dukes of Pomerania between 1615 and 1621. Typologically, it referred to the Pomeranian Münzfuß groschen with an image of the coat of arms on the face and a fixed motif on the reverse - the apple of dominion with the number 24, referring to 1/24 of a thaler. The obverse also featured a small escutcheon with the number 3, denoting three half-groschen, woven into the obverse legend. The Dreipölker minted in large quantities and at the rate of 35-39 groschen per thaler, instead of the designated 24, were headed for the market of the Republic. Although nominally worth a grosch and a half, its weight and silver content steadily deteriorated. Before taking the reign of the Duchy of Szczecin, Francis I (1577-1620) minted significant quantities of half-groschen in Koszalin as titular bishop of Cammin in the years 1616-1618. They are classified into two main types. The obverse of the first features a heraldic motif, while the obverse of the second bears the image of the duke, closely modelled on that duke's groschen. The Koszalin minting activity of Francis was illegal since there could only be one mint in the Duchy of Pomerania, in Szczecin. The assumption of rule in the Duchy of Szczecin in 1618 legalised the first stage of minting by this ruler. The coin on display features a highly decorative obverse bearing the bust of Francis. Dreipölker and groschen are the only small coins with the image of the sovereign in the history of Pomeranian minting. Genowefa Horoszko