The Discovery of Gold Florins in Zalewo (formerly Saalfeld) in The Light of The Report from 1572

This article discusses the discovery of a hoard of gold coins in Zalewo (formerly Saalfeld). The duke of Prussia, Albrecht Frederick, was informed about the discovery by the Hauptmann of Przezmark ( Preussisch Mark), who sent him 144 coins in 1572. The Hauptmann also described the process of how the coins were obtained. These coins were described by the archivist at the dukes‘s court as florentinische Guldtgulden – which means ”florentine gold florins“. The authors claim, that this is the first described discovery of gold florins from Zalewo. A similar discovery was recorded in Zalewo in 1991. The coins sent in 1572 possibly became a part of the collection of the Duke of Prussia. Some of the gold florins found in 1991 were donated to the Museum of Warmia and Mazury.