Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio is honored to offer the Lennart Philipson Collection of Swedish Coinage, an impressive and specialized collection that is sure to ignite desire in the specialist and generalist alike. Today’s preview of the January New York International Auction hails from the reign of Sigismund III Vasa, informally known as Sigismund in Sweden. Beginning in 1587 with the blessings of Stanislaw Karnkowski, the primate of Poland, Sigismund became King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania, Ruthenia, Prussia, Masovia, Samogitia, Livonia and also hereditary king of the Swedes, Goths and Wends. The later titles resulted from his father’s claims to the Swedish throne. However it was not until 1594, the year this coin was struck, that Sigismund was crowned King of Sweden. While sharing the same monarch, Poland and Sweden were never politically united, with many in Sweden convinced that Sigismund’s ultimate goal was to bring Sweden back into the Catholic fold, much as he did with the Orthodox Church in the Ukraine. That he was allowed to become King of Sweden at all speaks volumes about his power and influence, and while the arrangement lasted but a few years, it helped define the zenith of Sigismund’s reign both within the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and in the surrounding hinterlands.
The coin offered in our January 2016 New York auction bears an interesting and extremely rare spelling error of the king’s name: “SIGIMVNDVS” in lieu of “SIGISMVNDVS”. The obverse design displays the stately armored bust of Sigismund facing right, crowned, while holding a sword leaned against his shoulder in one hand and a globus cruciger in the other. The reverse boasts the crowned arms of Sweden (Kalmar Union), Poland, Folkungs Lion, Lithuania and the seal of the House of Vasa superimposed in the center with legend around. The coin features a great strike and lovely light iridescence and medium gray toning. It will surely be one to watch as the magnificent Lennart Philipson Collection crosses the auction block!
Look for this and other world numismatic rarities in our upcoming January New York International Auction. For details please refer to the Events Calendar link at www.StacksBowers.com. Though our Stack’s Bowers January New York International Auction is no longer open for consignments, we are now accepting consignments of world and ancient coins for our August 2016 ANA Auction as well as Chinese and other Asian coins and currency for our April 2016 Hong Kong Showcase Auction. If you are interested in consigning your coins and paper currency (whether a whole collection or a single rarity) be sure to contact one of our consignment directors.
