Szelągi miejskie w Prusach Królewskich w latach 1658–1766 w świetle badań archeologicznych kościoła pw. św. Mikołaja w Gniewie

In the years 2009-2016, on the premises of St Nicholas church in Gniew, archaeological research was carried out, during which almost three hundred coins were found. The numismatic items cover the period from the 16th century to 1941. The study deals with the issue of the circulation of town coins from Gdańsk, Elbląg and Toruń in the years 1658-1766. The coins constitute the basis for comparison with finds from St John the Baptist church and St John the Evangelist church in Gdańsk, the currently non-existent church in Rumia and finds from the Radunia Canal. Previous research on coins found on the aforementioned sites enables to present some conclusions concerning the circulation of town coins in Royal Prussia. Taking into account the location of Gniew among other Prussian towns and the number of town shillings found: ten coins from Gdańsk, nine coins from Elbląg and eleven coins from Toruń, it can be assumed that these coins had an equivalent circulation on the site in question. The coins can be divided into three chronological periods: the issue of John II Casimir and Michael I, the period of ceasing to mint the town shillings, coins of Augustus III and Stanisław August Poniatowski. Apart from the town shillings from the period in question twenty-six Prussian shillings were also found, including the shilling of Duke Frederick William I from 1669 and the occupation shilling of Empress Elizaveta Petrovna from 1761. The work on numismatic items was aimed at finding at least partial answers to the theses put forward in the text related to the separate domination zones of individual shillings.