THE FINENESS OF RIGA SCHILLINGS UNDER POLISH RULE (1581-1621)

Abstract

The aim of study. The paper discusses the change of the silver proof of Riga schillings in the so-called Polish times. According to the Corpus privilegiorum Stepheneum (14 January 1581), Riga was confirmed minting rights, which however prescribed changes in coin design and fineness: on the one side coins had to bear the insignia of the Commonwealth and on the other side the coat of arms of the City; coins had to be of the same fineness and weight as the Polish and Lithuanian coinage so that there were no difference in their usage. Research methodology. Methods of analysis, classification, generalization and statistical methods were used to obtain the tasks set in the work. Riga schillings are arguably among the most widely studied and well-known coinages of the city mint of Riga, the capital of modern Latvia. In 1582 the first Polish style shilling was minted in Riga. Starting with 1588 shillings and 3-groschen coins (dreyer) were produced in the name of Sigismund III. Carrying almost all the same visual attributes as the coins of Stephan Bathory. From the late 16th century until the mid-17th century the production of this northernmost situated mint occupied a dominant role in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth market of small change. This has been suggested by the various archaeological data offered by Polish numismatists. Despite the fact that Riga schillings have been a subject of research over the last century, to this day scholars have not reached common understanding on the quality issue of the schillings. As is evident Baltic and Polish numismatists have disagreements about metrological terms of the early Commonwealth schillings. Scientific novelty. In an attempt to clear up some of the problems, three legislative sources will be paid special attention: ordinances of the Warsaw Sejm 1579/80 and the ordinances of the Monetary Commissions of Warsaw from 1604 and 1616. The Conclusions. This article argues that the Riga schillings were minted accordingly to the mint order, however from 1604 Riga (and Lithuanian) schillings deviated from the Polish schillings as they were minted of higher minting standard..