One of the rarest numismatic relics of the reign of Stanisław Leszczyński.
The brief and turbulent reign of Stanisław Leszczyński left behind only a very limited numismatic legacy. Unlike most Polish monarchs, he never had the opportunity to establish a regular coinage in his own name, while the official medals issued during his reign are among the greatest rarities of 18th-century Polish numismatics.
Only four official medals were struck to commemorate the beginning of his reign—two celebrating his election in 1704 and two marking his coronation in 1705. All four were classified by Emeryk Hutten-Czapski as R7 (extremely rare) and today appear on the market only on exceptional occasions.
The present medal commemorates Leszczyński's accession to the Polish throne through a remarkably sophisticated allegorical design. The obverse depicts a small wooden boat carrying the royal crown through a violent storm beneath the inscription FATA ("Fate" or "Destiny"), symbolizing the uncertainty surrounding his claim to the throne. The reverse presents a striking contrast: a magnificent ship entering a safe harbour, carrying the royal regalia—the crown, sceptre, sword, and orb—with the arms of Poland and Lithuania displayed on its stern. Steering the vessel is the Swedish lion, accompanied by the motto REMIGE TANTO ("With such a helmsman"), an unmistakable reference to the decisive support of King Charles XII of Sweden, without whom Leszczyński would never have become King of Poland.
An intriguing historical detail is the form of the royal crown depicted on the obverse. Its plain, unadorned circlet reflects historical reality: during the Great Northern War, the original Polish Crown Jewels were removed from the Treasury of the Crown. As a result, Stanisław Leszczyński was crowned using substitute regalia specially commissioned by Charles XII, who reclaimed them after the coronation and had them melted down.
Original Polish medals of Stanisław Leszczyński rank among the rarest products of 18th-century Polish medallic art. They are highly coveted by advanced collectors and represent one of the most elusive acquisitions for those assembling a complete historical series of Polish royal medals.
Obverse: A ship with a royal crown, a lion on the ship's ensign, the inscription REMIGE TANTO above, and a two-line inscription VARSCHAU D.4. OCTOBER / 1705
VIAM INVENIUNT TANDEM
Reverse: ship without masts and equipment, tossed in a stormy sea, in which a crown, and the inscription FATA at the top
Srebro, średnica 48 mm, waga 36.41 g
