Władysław Opolczyk Ducat

This ducat from Władysław Opolczyk's Silesian mint features a distinctive double cross on the reverse, directly echoing the Piast dynasty's heraldic symbols and linking it to Poland's fragmented medieval politics.

That design choice wasn't just decorative; it asserted regional authority in a time when Silesia was more Bohemian than Polish. The coin, struck in gold, was rare for the era, as most Polish issues relied on silver. We know it circulated in Opole and nearby areas, but exact minting locations remain unclear—records from that period are scarce.

One oddity: despite the name, this ducat bears little resemblance to the Venetian originals that inspired so many European coins. It’s as if Silesian mint masters decided to improvise, perhaps out of gold or inspiration.

Mintage figures? Lost to history, likely in one of those fourteenth-century fires or wars. What survives are a handful of specimens, each showing wear from actual use, not just display cases.