I've been photographing and researching some previous purchases, and it's startling how often the attribution from the coin shop is wrong for coins before the 1800s. Case in point: This one was sold as "Poland, Solidus, 1601-1625 $8-". I wracked my brain looking through my 1600s coin book and on Numista, but couldn't find anything which looked right. Here's what I could read: Obverse: SIGIS III DG RE POLO, Crowned S with cross in shield, center Reverse: SOLIDVS 1612, Decorative shield with two crossed keys under cross 0.95 g, 18 mm diameter After much head-scratching, I think it's from Polish ruled Livonia. It's almost an exact match for this coin. The lettering in the legend varies from year to year. Mine matches the 1612 entry on Numista, except the X from "REX" seems to be missing on mine. There's not even much of a space between "RE" and "POLO" so it's not likely to be worn off or weakly struck. It was struck significantly off center, so I'm missing the text "CIVI RIGEN" on the reverse. That would have been a nice hint to point me in the right direction that it was from Riga, Livonia and not Poland. Fortunately the date and the name of the ruler were mostly visible. I'm actually glad to have a Livonian coin, as I already have a Polish-Lithuanian coin from Sigismund III Vasa, and this is a new type for me. Most of these old silvers are modestly enough priced ($8) that I can't go too far wrong, so long as they are not modern counterfeits. If you like, please feel free to post any misattributed or questionable coins.
