Valuable Polish coin sets auction record. "Many fought for it"

A Polish coin and a historical record met at a recent auction in Oslo. The "Chocim coin" from the 17th century was sold for an impressive 1.65 million euros. According to reports, the valuable treasure is returning to Poland.

A new chapter in the history of European numismatics was written at an auction in Oslo . The Polish gold " Chocim coin " from 1621 - a numismatic pearl from the era of Sigismund III Vasa - was sold for a record 1.65 million euros . With commission, the price exceeded a dizzying 2 million euros , making it the most expensive historical coin ever to change hands in Scandinavia .

The Chocim coin from 1621 - a numismatic gem commemorating the Battle of Chocim / Oslo Myntgalleri

A gold coin issued in 1621 at the mint in Bydgoszcz with a denomination of 100 ducats was minted to celebrate the victory of the troops of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth over the Ottoman Empire in the Battle of Khotyn .

Painting The Battle of Chocim, Józef Brandt, 1867, National Museum in Warsaw / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The event was of key geopolitical importance – the heroic command of Hetman Jan Karol Chodkiewicz and the support of the Zaporozhian Cossacks stopped the expansion of Sultan Osman II . The coin was not a means of payment at that time – it had a representative character, constituting a manifestation of the power of the state and the triumph of the Polish arms.

" The Chocim Coin " is one of the most valuable and rarest Polish coins in history. Minted from almost 350 grams of pure gold , it impresses not only with its mass and quality of workmanship, but also with its rich iconography and symbolism.

Chocim coin with the image of Sigismund III Vasa / Oslo Myntgalleri

The coin depicts the image of Sigismund III Vasa, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, who reigned from 1587 to 1632. Sigismund III Vasa is famous for his attempts to unite the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with Sweden and his fights against the Ottoman Empire .

Currently, only 17 copies of the "Khotyn coin" are known to exist, of which only three have appeared on the market in recent decades.

- Many bidders competed for it. We had bidders on site at the Grand Hotel. Some of them were represented by intermediaries. Participants also submitted their bids by phone - the auction organizer Eirik Myge told PAP.

Although the identity of the buyer has remained undisclosed , one thing is certain – the treasure will leave Norway . As reported by o2.pl, Damian Marciniak – the owner of a Warsaw numismatic house – revealed that the coin was purchased by a Polish collector .