Alexander Jagiellon struck these halfgroats as Grand Duke of Lithuania before his election to the Polish throne in 1501, making the issue a product of purely Lithuanian administration rather than the unified Polish-Lithuanian apparatus that would follow. The mint at Vilnius operated under considerable pressure during this period — the Grand Duchy was absorbing the financial strain of ongoing conflict with Muscovy, and the billon content of these coins reflects a deliberate debasement policy to stretch silver reserves.
The Iva#2AJ1-1 classification places this among the earliest die groupings, struck before Alexander's dual reign complicated mint authority between Kraków and Vilnius.
Alexander Jagiellon struck these halfgroats as Grand Duke of Lithuania before his election to the Polish throne in 1501, making the issue a product of purely Lithuanian administration rather than the unified Polish-Lithuanian apparatus that would follow. The mint at Vilnius operated under considerable pressure during this period — the Grand Duchy was absorbing the financial strain of ongoing conflict with Muscovy, and the billon content of these coins reflects a deliberate debasement policy to stretch silver reserves.
The Iva#2AJ1-1 classification places this among the earliest die groupings, struck before Alexander's dual reign complicated mint authority between Kraków and Vilnius.