Unissued coin projects – Jan III Sobieski, Gold

A unique set of 4 numismats using as yet unissued coin designs from the interwar period.

The designs were submitted in 1933 for a contest organized by the National Mint for the best design of a silver coin commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Vienna, falling in 1934.

In 1933, The National Mint organized a contest for designs of silver 10-złoty commemorative coins referring to the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Vienna, which was to take place on 12th September 1933. The contest was for reverse sides of coins only. Their obverse sides, with a statutory crowned eagle, were to be compliant with obverse sides of 10-zloty circulating coins struck in the years 1932 and 1933 according to the design of Antoni Madeyski. Now, the obverse did not feature the date of issue. Both year dates, date of the Battle of Vienna and anniversary date, were placed on the reverse. Wojciech Jastrzębowski, Professor at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts, won the contest. His design depicted Jan III in a laurel wreath, directed to the right, and was marked with artist’s initials, W.J. (coin 1). A medal-making artist Jan Wysocki, lecturer at the State School of Decorative Arts in Poznań, presented the portrait of the king also wearing a laurel wreath, but directed to the left and marked with a JW monogram. (coin 3). We also know that there was a design with the monarch’s portrait directed to the left, in a fur cap decorated with a feather brooch; unsigned, probably designed by Jan Wysocki (coin 2). Despite the results of the contest, the National Mint asked Jan Wysocki to work on this commemorative coin, and the latter design became the basis for the coin that was eventually struck, the coin presenting a portrait of Jan III Sobieski directed to the right, in a cap decorated with a brooch. The coin is marked with the artist’s full name: J.WYSOCKI. Among the designs submitted for the contest there was an interesting, but somewhat naive, design with a portrait of Jan III Sobieski on a horse. The design in unsigned and its author is unknown (coin 4). The coin that was eventually struck had the following parameters: material Ag 750, diameter 34 mm, weight 22 g, serrated edge. It was put into circulation on 11th September 1933, the day on which 250 years earlier Jan III Sobieski assumed attack positions for the battle against Turks on Kahlenberg near Vienna.