26. Necessity Thaler Coin, Ioan Sigismund Zápolya, Principality of Transylvania, 1565, silver

A unifacies campaign taler, issued during the reign of Ioan Sigismund Zápolya as King of Hungary in the period 1556 - 1570, this shows on its single minted face, within a shield, the Zápolya family crest, a wolf sitting on two legs, profiled to the left, emerging from three mounds. Behind the head is a six-rayed star, and in front is a crescent. On either side of the body is the millesimal "15 - 65", and above the shield appears the legend "• IO • SE • REX • VN •" (Iohan Sigismundus Rex Hungariae). This taler is a rare monetary testimony of a tumultuous period in Transylvanian history. It is an example of monetary innovation in times of crisis, a symbol of the resistance and adaptability of a leader caught between the great powers of the age: the Ottoman Empire and the Habsburgs, during the battles for the control of Transylvania and Hungary following the Battle of Mohács (1526).

Dimensions

custom d=41 mm

Description

silver

PROVENANCE

The coin is under temporary import since May 13, 2025, in accordance with Art. 26.6 of the Auction Regulation. It comes from an auction house in Sweden.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For clarifications regarding the bidding procedure, hammer price costs, guarantee, payment, and collection terms for the winning lot, we recommend carefully reading/re-reading the Bidding Regulations.

For additional information regarding the lot and the auction, please contact the Art Consultants Department.