Poland (Białogon Foundry) Cast Medal ND - Sigismundus I the Old (1506–1548)

32.39g. 44mm. UNC/UNC. 

An old cast from the Białogon foundry, reproducing a medal from the Royal Suite series. 

Medalier: I. I. Reichel (I. I. R. on obverse). 

Hutten-Czapski 3429 R2 (for prototype); Raczyński 607 (for prototype). 

Obv.: Bust of King Sigismund I the Old right, crowned and in armor with ornate decorations. 

Inscription around: 

SIGISMUNDUS PRIMUS 

(Sigismund I the First). 

Rev.: Multi-line Latin inscription:  

CASIMIRI / FILIUS / PENULTIMUS / PRUDENTIA, VICTORIIS / OPIBUS INSIGNIS / CAROLI V. CAESARIS / ET FRANCISCI I. / FRANCORUM REGIS / COAEVUS, ET ILLIS / AEQUIPARATUS / OB: A. D. 1548. AETAT: 84 / REG: 42. D. 1. APR: 

(Son of Casimir, the second to last; distinguished by wisdom, victories, and wealth; contemporary of Emperor Charles V and King Francis I of France, and equal to them; died in 1548 at the age of 84, after a reign of 42 years, on April 1). 

Sigismund I the Old (Zygmunt I Stary) - (1467-1548) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1506, a ruler of the Jagiellonian dynasty whose reign is widely regarded as the height of Renaissance influence in Central and Eastern Europe. Under his rule, the Polish-Lithuanian state, encompassing territories of modern Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, and parts of Latvia, experienced sustained political stability and economic expansion, supported by agricultural growth and increasing trade, particularly through the Baltic ports. His reign was marked by administrative consolidation and efforts to strengthen royal authority while maintaining balance with the nobility. He was also an important patron of Renaissance art and architecture, contributing to the development of Kraków as a major cultural center. In foreign policy, he engaged in conflicts with the Grand Duchy of Moscow and maintained relations with the Habsburg Empire and the Kingdom of France, positioning his realm as a significant European power.