Thaler Coins of the Pre Empire German States - Chapter 24 This is our last German Free State listed alphabetically under the letter C which now denotes Cöthen (Köthen). The earliest signs of human habitation go back to the early Stone Age about 250,000 years ago. The first documentary mention of "Cothene" dates to 1115; by 1194 it was already known as a market town, becoming a seat of the princes of Anhalt. Köthen was chartered in 1200. For over two centuries (1603–1847) it was the capital of the independent principality (from 1806, duchy) of Anhalt-Köthen. In the grand scheme of humanity, which you may already know because of studying about the music of the grand masters in school and/or college, Köthen has long been known to as the place of origin of Johann Sebastian Bach's best-known secular works, including the Brandenburg Concertos and the Well-Tempered Clavier. Bach worked in Köthen from 1717 to 1723 as Kapellmeister for Prince Leopold von Anhalt-Köthen. It is also the birthplace of the composer Carl Friedrich Abel who, together with Johann Christian Bach, founded the popular "Bach-Abel Concerts" in London, the first subscription concerts in England. If you want to know the map location of Köthen click the following link and scroll to map (courtesy of Wikipedia): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%B6then As with all German Free States, Köthen was an off-again, on-again entity, although it remained within Anhalt. Anhalt-Köthen has existed on three separate occasions. The first state was created in 1396 when Anhalt-Zerbst was partitioned between Anhalt-Dessau and Anhalt-Köthen. The first creation lasted until 1552 when it was inherited by Anhalt-Dessau. It was created for a second time in 1603 with the partition of Anhalt-Zerbst. With the death of Prince Augustus Louis in 1774 the principality was split, with the new state of Anhalt-Pless being created. In 1806 Anhalt-Köthen was raised to a Duchy. With the death of Duke Henry in 1847 the Anhalt-Köthen line became extinct and was inherited by the Duke of Anhalt-Dessau. The three Divisions of Anhalt-Köthen were: 1. Principality 1396-1552 2. Principality 1603-1806 3 Duchy 1806-1847 Minor Thaler Coinage: 1747 Senioratsgulden: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=928095&AucID=687&Lot=64&Val=5d06738497cca372087bc52270ee533a Fractional Thaler: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=985336&AucID=916&Lot=2274&Val=6aaa36e152ac2bbbb6d788ece5b5ba46 http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=985337&AucID=916&Lot=2275&Val=24faf804242bde23d68dc0684be3274a http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=985338&AucID=916&Lot=2276&Val=ee7b637f0f047cb19953e165ebb8de13 Thaler: Veriensthaler: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=985339&AucID=916&Lot=2277&Val=4419d856c069b5b67419df8f55d7a211 Specie Thaler: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=941949&AucID=698&Lot=4003&Val=3cd2f723ff980d6fa4cedc67eb30af17 Vereinsdopplethaler (Doublethaler, 2 Thaler): http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=941950&AucID=698&Lot=4004&Val=b2454bdc9b600688fecdebcd8a1984c7 http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=930799&AucID=689&Lot=20&Val=02a97b9013b20c8f5d36ca9d695ba9ce 1650 Thaler: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=928094&AucID=687&Lot=63&Val=57677c2ff703cdf259097f33b31ca3e3 Hope you enjoyed seeing a few of Köthen's Pre Empire Thaler coinage. To be continued... Clinker
The history of all those small states and mini-countries can be complicated anyway. And Anhalt-Köthen is one that does not make things easy. As you showed here, Clinker, they merely use "Anhalt" on the coins ... By the way, the "Senior Domus" title used on some of these pieces means Oldest of the House (ie. House of Anhalt). And the Anhalt bear on the wall can still be found today on the CoA of Anhalt-Bitterfeld county, in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. The city of Köthen (or Cöthen until 1927) is the county seat. Christian
Thanks, Christian, for this important information. Enjoy learning more about numismatics anywhere in the world! Clinker
