Ave!

Hungary, Leopold I (the Hog-mouth), Poltura, 1699, Scarce!

Silver; 19mm/1.1gm

Con/ Minor inclusions, otherwise, about As Struck; with mint luster

Obv/ King's laur. bust r.

Rev/ P H POLTURA 1699; above, Madonna and Child seated facing.

Seller's Note/ Leopold I was the Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia. The second son of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor, by his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain, Leopold became heir apparent in 1654 by the death of his elder brother Ferdinand IV.

The poltura was a historic Hungarian monetary unit that was struck under the Hungarian rulers Leopold I, Joseph I, Francis II Rákóczi, Charles III and Maria Theresa. Its forerunner was the Polish pó?torak, a coin equal to one and one-half grosz (pó?tora means one and a half in Polish). In Royal Hungary, Leopold I was the first who struck silver poltura on the influence of the Polish poltorak. The value of the coin was equal to ½ Groschen or 1½ Kreuzer.