Danzig 1700 1/24 Thaler

In 1700, Danzig issued the 1/24 Thaler as a fractional silver coin to facilitate trade in a city caught between Polish overlords and Swedish ambitions during the early Great Northern War.

This small coin, weighing about 0.4 grams, was struck from recycled silver, likely scraps from larger denominations or foreign imports, reflecting the practical economics of a besieged port. The obverse features the Polish eagle, a nod to Danzig's nominal allegiance, while the reverse shows the city's gates, a symbol of its defiant independence. Mintage figures are murky; records may have been destroyed in later conflicts.

No one knows exactly how many of these ended up in sailors' pockets versus royal coffers.