17 coins were found near Pomiechówek. They come from the 16th and 17th centuries from Saxony, Brandenburg and the Netherlands. Their value is about half a million zlotys, the finders estimate. – This is probably one of the largest treasures of this type discovered so far in Poland – comments archaeologist Piotr Duda.
The discoverers of the treasure are members of the Triglav Historical and Research Association from Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki – father and son, Sławomir and Szymon Milewski, who participated in the search conducted together with the Polish Association of Searchers “Husaria”.
Piotr Duda, an archaeologist from the Triglav Historical and Research Association, emphasized in an interview with PAP that the coins found were “white ravens”. – This is probably one of the greatest treasures of this type discovered so far in Poland, and certainly in Masovia. Yes, in recent years there have been deposits of coins from various historical eras, but not from the 16th and 17th centuries. Their historical value today is indescribable, and their material value is estimated at about half a million zlotys – he added.
– We knew that these were silver coins and their value could be high, but when we started looking at them, we rubbed our eyes with amazement. “It's just unbelievable,” he said.
They were looking for a Roman road
Mateusz Sygacz, together with members of the Polish Searchers' Association “Husaria”, have been collecting information about the route of the route – a trade route whose history may date back to the period of Roman influence. – This was the main goal of the search, and their result surprised everyone – said Duda.
Explorers speculate as to where such a treasure could have come from in the vicinity of Pomiechówek.
– In 1655 there was a battle near Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki. The Swedes clashed with the Polish crown troops of the First Polish Republic. The coins date back to approximately the period of the Thirty Years' War and are coins mainly from the areas of Saxony, Brandenburg and the Netherlands, i.e. today's areas of Benelux and Germany – said Piotr Duda.
He believes that it is possible that it is a treasure hidden by someone who participated in the Thirty Years' War and later, in 1655, took part in the fighting for Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki. Duda recalled that both sides of the battle had mercenaries in their ranks, mainly German. Another guess is that some wealthy merchant buried his property for fear of theft. – There used to be an inn here, and then something happened and he couldn't come back for the deposit. The possibilities are many. But these are all our assumptions, he noted.
The treasure will be transferred to the Masovian Provincial Conservator of Monuments. – We would like him to stay with us, in the September Campaign Museum and the Modlin Fortress – said the seeker.
Coin of Sigismund III Vasa
As reported by the Polish Seekers' Association “Husaria” on social media, one of the coins is the Sigismund III Vasa 1630 thaler, minted in the Toruń mint, and the mint master's initials indicate a very rare variety of this thaler – in March 2023 an identical coin, but in much worse condition, was sold at auction for over PLN 86,000.
“The thaler of John II 1623 – Duchy of the Palatinate is also worth attention. It was a coin minted for only two years, with a different design each year and it is impossible to find it in numismatic catalogues, let alone value it. The condition of the remaining coins is excellent “- wrote the association.
The treasure includes (after very cursory identification – some were so rare that it was impossible to clearly identify them because they were simply not in the catalogues): 1 Thaler 1621 – Tyrol (County of Tyrol period 1564-1666), 1 Patagon Albert and Elizabeth – unspecified year (period 1616-1621) – Spanish Netherlands, 1 Patagon Albert and Elizabeth – as above (but different coin than above), 1 thaler Frederick William I from 1641 (Brandenburg – Prussia), 1 Patagon – as mentioned the second (but still a different coin), 1 thaler John II from 1623 – Duchy of the Palatinate – Zweibrucken, 1 thaler Leopold V 1620, 1 thaler Frederick I of Austria – unknown year (period 1619-1632), 1 thaler Rudolf II from 1604 , minted in Austria, 1 thaler Johann Georg I from 1624, Saxony, Dresden mint, 1 thaler Johann Georg I from 1612, Saxony, Dresden mint, 1 patagon Philip IV – 1633, Spanish Netherlands, 1 patagon Philip IV – 1631 , Spanish Netherlands, 1 Patagon Philip IV – from 1638, Spanish Netherlands, 1 Patagon Philip IV – 1632, also Spanish Netherlands, plus 1 Patagon Philip IV – 16*3, Spanish Netherlands (3rd digit of the year illegible) and raisins the entire deposit – 1 thaler of Sigismund III Vasa from 1630, minted at the Toruń mint.
Main photo source: SHB Triglav/Facebook