Monetary Studies
Volume IV   No. 4   December 2000
Research Papers

PATTERN COINS OF THE GRAND DUCHY OF LITHUANIA  
Stanislovas Sajauskas

The article analyses the reasons for the origination and the history of pattern coins of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. 16 basic types of pattern coins struck between early 16 th and 18 th centuries are described. These comprise: The Alexander groat of 1502, the Sigismund Augustus groat of 1545, the threegroat of 1556, the fourgroat of 1568 and the florin of 1571; the Stephan Bathory denarii of 1581 and 1582, the shilling of 1579, the groat of 1580 and the talers of 1580; the threegroat of Sigismund Vasa (clippe); the John Casimir groat of 1652 and the auksinas (30 groats) of 1666; the John Sobiesky sixgroat of 1679; the Augustus II threegroat of 1706.

The major reasons why the pattern coins have not been minted include the disappearance of the sense of emission prior to striking them, technological defects of die production or errors of die engravers. 

Full article in Lithuanian language