Germany - Brandenburg / Ducal Prussia / Poland 1541 Silver Groschen

Description

Striking example of this coin, with nice portrait of Albert, first Duke of Prussia.
Albrecht was a important figure in the history of Germany and the Protestant reformation there.  From 1510, he was Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, a Catholic military order which ruled a region of the Baltic centered around Gdansk, Poland.  After warring unsuccessfully with Poland, he changed both his religion (to Lutheranism) and his political allegiances, and in 1525 assumed the title as first Duke of Prussia, which came under the rule of Poland.
This was the end of the Teutonic Order as a political entity, and established Prussia as one of the first Protestant states of Europe.
Obv: Armored bust facing right. (shield) * IVSTVS * EX * FIDE * VIVIT * (Justice lives from faith)
REX: Prussian eagle facing left. (trefoil) ALBER * D * G * MAR * BRAN * DVX * PRVSS (Albert, by the grace of God, Margrave of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia)
Ref:  Marienburg 1179, Voss 1373