Rare medal minted during the reign of John II Casimir to commemorate the Battle of Beresteczko and the victory achieved by John Casimir over Khmelnytsky.
Author unknown.
Obverse: laurel wreath, with four royal crowns, welded in four places.
HOC NEXU 1651
Reverse: inscription in ten lines
VICTORI SCYTAR & REBEL AUGUSTO SERENIS & POTENTIS JOANNI CASIMIRO D G POLONIAE REGI M D L TUM ET SUEC GOTH VAND HAERED REGI D D (To the victor of the Tartars and rebels, to the highest, brightest and most powerful John Casimir by God's grace the Polish King, Grand Duke of Lithuania, to the Swedes, Goths, Vandals, hereditary King dedicates and gives)
Weight 4.0 g
Diameter 3 cm
Material silver
Edward Raczynski at this item wrote this: "It is unknown who ordered this medal to be minted. Bishop Albertrandi claims that the King, returning to Warsaw after the victory at Beresteczko, found an inscription on some triumphal arch, which on the reverse side reads. The aforementioned Duke Albertrandi dismisses the idea of the right side of the medal, which to him seems convoluted and unclear. He explains the inscription on the right side of the medal in this way: that the King, with his bravery and foresight, took the greatest care in forming the victorious wreath and that he will do his best to preserve it in its entirety.
It seems to us: that the four crowns woven into the laurel wreath indicate the King of Poles, Swedes, Goths and Vandals. If, as Bishop Albertrandi thinks, the King returning after the victory was greeted with this inscription, for this time the words Hoc nexu may mean that John Casimir, as Lord of the four crowns, won an overwhelming victory, and that to him, as the victor, the laurel wreath is due."
