The Vilnius Mint ( lt, Vilniaus monetų kalykla) was the main

mint MiNT is Now TOS (MiNT) is a free software alternative operating system kernel for the Atari ST system and its successors. It is a multi-tasking alternative to TOS and MagiC. Together with the free system components fVDI device drivers, XaA ...

of the

Grand Duchy of Lithuania The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state that existed from the 13th century to 1795, when the territory was partitioned among the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Habsburg Empire of Austria. The state was founded by Li ...

which produced coins in

Vilnius Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urb ...

from 1387 to 1666 (with breaks). Many of the coins minted in the Vilnius Mint had

privy mark A privy mark was originally a small mark or differentiation in the design of a coin for the purpose of identifying the mint, moneyer, some other aspect of the coin's origin, or to prevent counterfeiting. One of the first instances of a privy mar ...

s of the

Grand Treasurer of Lithuania Podskarbi in Poland then in Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was minister responsible for the treasury. Since 1569 also a senatorial office. The title although meaning treasurer can be deconstructed as "''under ingtreasury''" - treasury as an old ...

(coat of arms and initials).

History

The mints of gold and copper operated separately. In 1546, the mint was located on the present-day Vokiečių Street. Later, in the territory of Vilnius Lower Castle there were

gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...

and, in the second half of the 17th century,

copper Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkis ...

mints. The mint was managed by a governor, who was assisted by a clerk (he took care of the acquisition, issuance, accounting, checked the quality of coins), other positions in the mint were: a money craftsman (he was responsible for the production of coins), a assayer, a stamps engraver, a bleacher, and money struckers. The rent of the mint was practiced since the time of Grand Duke

Stephen Báthory Stephen Báthory ( hu, Báthory István; pl, Stefan Batory; ; 27 September 1533 – 12 December 1586) was Voivode of Transylvania (1571–1576), Prince of Transylvania (1576–1586), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1576–1586) ...

. Initially, it depended on the number of coins minted, from the time of Grand Duke

Sigismund III Vasa Sigismund III Vasa ( pl, Zygmunt III Waza, lt, Žygimantas Vaza; 20 June 1566 – 30 April 1632 N.S.) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1587 to 1632 and, as Sigismund, King of Sweden and Grand Duke of Finland from 1592 to ...

an additional amount of determined sum of money was paid (700-800 gold coins; the amount increased if the mint was leased). The Vilnius Mint was closed in 1666 and the coins were not minted anymore in the Lithuanian territory of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth after the closure of the mint in Kaunas.

References

{{reflist Grand Duchy of Lithuania 1387 establishments Mints (currency) 14th-century establishments in Lithuania Currencies of Lithuania History of Vilnius History of Lithuania (1569–1795)

History

See also

References