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Main page / Collections / Study collection / Department of Coins and Medals / Coins from Lands Historically Affiliated with Poland /

Coins from Lands Historically Affiliated with Poland

Another part our original holdings is the Collection of Coins from Lands Historically Affiliated with Poland, which can stand as a contextual supplement to the Collection of Polish Coins. This section consists of over 6,000 pieces hailing from territories that were subordinate to or historically affiliated with Poland.

Regrettably, the provenance of most of the pieces cannot be verified. They found their way to the museum in efforts to secure what remained of various collections that had been scattered and lost during the Second World War. Gradually, these new additions began to fill in the huge gaps left in the aftermath of the war. The wide territorial range and long time period represented by these items explain why this collection is so rich in variety. It includes coins from various Silesian duchies, Western Pomerania, Courland, lands controlled by the Teutonic Order, the Duchy of Prussia and even from the Principality of Moldavia from the period during which it was a Polish dependency (1387–1497).

Moreover, the collection’s richness and broad chronological range (from the Middle Ages to the 17 th century) make it invaluable from a scholarly perspective. The coins originating from the Teutonic Order were described in a catalogue of the holdings of the National Museum in Warsaw published in 1998. Also worthy of note – for both historical and purely aesthetic reasons – is the assortment of coins from Silesia. Finally, a number of very rare and unique coins renders the collection even more of a must see for casual visitors and enthusiasts alike.