Thaler Coinage of the Pre Empire German States - Chapter 17 Our list under the alphabetical letter B brings us to Brunswick (German...Braunschweig). Rermember Thaler Coinage didn't come into being until 1518. The Thaler was a silver coin used throughout Europe for almost four hundred years. Its name lives on in various currencies as the Tala, dollar or tolar. Etymologically, Thaler is an abbreviation of Joachimsthaler, a coin type from the city of Joachimsthal (Jáchymov) in Bohemia, where some of the first such coins were minted in 1518. Thaler is German for dale or dell. They all mean valley. therefore a Thaler is a person or a thing from the valley (Joachimsthaler). Joachim, the father of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, was portrayed on the coin along with the lion from the Counts' crest. Similar coins began to be minted in neighboring valleys (thals) rich in silver deposits, each named after the particular thal or valley from which the silver was extracted. There were soon so many of them that these silver coins began to be known more widely as Thaler Some info about Brunswick during the use of Thaler coinage. During the Thaler era, Brunswick was divided into two Frie Stadt (Free State) entities: Brunswick-Lüneburg (a Duchy): including, at times, the principalities of: Brunswick-Bevern Brunswick-Calenberg Brunswick-Celle Brunswick-Göttingen Brunswick-Grubenhagen Brunswick-Hannover Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (a Duchy): We will use the designation of Brunswick-Lüneburg-Calenberg-Hannover for this Chapter of Thaler Coinage of the Pre German Empire. Next Chapter (18) will cover Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. For your information, here's a map showing the location of Brunswick-Lüneburg: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Brunschweig-_Luneberg_Locator_1648.png You may remember, that during the last Chapter's (16) thread, Christian (chrisild) introduced us to the denomination Pistole. Brunswick-Lüneburg-Calenburg-Hannover also issued gold Pistole coins of which, as Christian pointed out, were valued at 5 gold Talers Georg III ruled over the Duchy from 1760-1820 and mandated the use of the gold Pistole while he governed. Thanks to Coin Archives, you can see a photo of the gold Pistole: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=945799&AucID=700&Lot=8448&Val=5b073927fa4cea9d967b91333b9e65f1 If, after seeing this fine specimen of a gold Pistole, you are wondering what other gold coins were issued by the Brunswick-Lüneburg-Calenberg-Hannover Duchy keep reading (all photos courtesy of Coin Archives unless noted otherwise). Our next photo takes us back one generation to that of Duke Georg II: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=945797&AucID=700&Lot=8446&Val=e3128aa257c6e5f691bcd8dbe5f87b66 The following year of Georg II's reign (1754) this Goldgulden (2 Thaler) piece was minted at Hannover featuring Georg II on its obverse: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=945798&AucID=700&Lot=8447&Val=625ec18803371d9e0a43d7ee04bda338 Our next photo is of another gold coin minted during Georg III's Dukedom: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=945800&AucID=700&Lot=8449&Val=c1858fab302ace3487eda1eb813c643c At Georg III's demise his son Georg IV inherited the Dukedom in 1820. This gold 10 Thaler bearing his image on the obverse was produced in 1828: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=945801&AucID=700&Lot=8450&Val=7130272fcbb98cefa9ee13fb2c32e994 Ernst August became Duke in 1837 and reigned for 14 years (1851). In his second year of leadership (1839) this gold 10 Thaler was issued bearing his bust on its obverse: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=945802&AucID=700&Lot=8451&Val=936b88681055b366d11cc6058e106eb4 As you can see when viewing this 1846 gold 5 (Funf) Thaler Ernst August has aged: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=945803&AucID=700&Lot=8452&Val=800ae861b60ab96a01339cef5724d14e This gold coin issued in 1850 (approximatrly one year before Ernst August's death) lets you see a 2 1/2 gold Thaler: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=945806&AucID=700&Lot=8455&Val=0334a7af090f3b09fe261bab54fc3882 Georg V inherited the Dukedom in 1851 and ruled into 1866. Here are a few gold coins bearing his image: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=945808&AucID=700&Lot=8457&Val=6f80f7f2c1c7fd89d676736f1f9689b9 http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=945810&AucID=700&Lot=8459&Val=e1be53c473aa18aa42b6cbcb0f0219dc http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=945811&AucID=700&Lot=8460&Val=d16786a621025d1c2e77bcf455d5e4ea And now let's look at some silver Thalers you may not know about. They are denoted as Palmbaumthalers and are religious as they reference to the Biblical Psalm Chapter 92 Verse 12. Here are several Bible translations: New International Version: "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon." American Standard Version: "The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree: He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon." Bible in Basic English: "The good man will be like a tall tree in his strength; his growth will be as the wide-stretching trees of Lebanon." Complete Jewish Bible: "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar in the L'vanon." Douay-Rheims Bibles (catholic vsrsions): "The just shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow up like the cedar of Libanus." Here's photos of the coins which were issued during the reign of Duke Johann Friedrich (1665-1679): http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=973755&AucID=905&Lot=1665&Val=8ed9cd34d68e8f6a2fddb5fda552c923 http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=973756&AucID=905&Lot=1666&Val=557a4041e77deb5654d99819d290c598 http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=973757&AucID=905&Lot=1667&Val=151b2dd7638a7531f0cb26b10825c582 http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=973759&AucID=905&Lot=1669&Val=e692f46f39a03840389769a4aa948f5b Under the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg-Celle, when Christian Ludwig goverened (1648-1665), this 1658 Thaler is representive of the coins issued during his leadership: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=960818&AucID=710&Lot=10396&Val=383a823f13830bbb741a626e7cf1886c Here's a Reichsthaler struck in 1660 under the governorship of Georg Wilhelm (1648-1665): http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942255&AucID=698&Lot=4309&Val=db70a79c47f7d16a83a2dbcfc2d3c9de This design followed in 1670: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942256&AucID=698&Lot=4310&Val=4586948a34f8f45431cc132bf73a3fb4 This reichsthaler was minted in 1679 during Johann Freiedrich's last year as Duke: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942258&AucID=698&Lot=4312&Val=c14a463bebcac81108d5e1b018a463bb During the leadership years of Ernst August (1679-1698) the following Reichsthaler coins are indicative of the coinage minted in those 19 years: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942259&AucID=698&Lot=4313&Val=26744b504a454ef7502688cc95077cd8 http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942260&AucID=698&Lot=4314&Val=ff79886f00d51d687b33f3af7b698eae http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942261&AucID=698&Lot=4315&Val=376bd7ddce6421683986aed17848eef2 The following Reichsthalers were minted during the governship of Duke George I. Ludwig (1698-1713): http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942262&AucID=698&Lot=4316&Val=d00f38d971f25dedbbaad935a2691cb2 http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942263&AucID=698&Lot=4317&Val=6306520683d26df3e17973c83a5a98a5 http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942264&AucID=698&Lot=4318&Val=34596298ffbdd874b6471dd21fccebcb http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942265&AucID=698&Lot=4319&Val=03793ac3e50cf2a9e2f03c5fd6a2bb60 http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942266&AucID=698&Lot=4320&Val=9051900d87e3fdd5bc97eff612ac54c4 This is a commemorative to Georg I; the first Hanovarian King of England. George I of Great Britain was the reigning Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and was finally made an official and recognized prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire in 1708. His possessions were enlarged in 1706 when the hereditary lands of the Calenberg branch of the Dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg merged with the lands of the Lüneburg-Celle branch to form the state of Hanover. Subsequently, George I was referred to as Elector of Hanover. http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942267&AucID=698&Lot=4321&Val=536c008a5251764cc1c121eff07d3307 This is a different commemorative Reichsthaler: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942267&AucID=698&Lot=4321&Val=536c008a5251764cc1c121eff07d3307 These are regular circulation Reichsthaler: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942268&AucID=698&Lot=4322&Val=46fde779155149a65886745aa76dea69 http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942269&AucID=698&Lot=4323&Val=0c70ce38e9aa2545dd01abcd30d77b03 This Reichsthaler was minted during the leadership of Georg II (1727-1760): http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942270&AucID=698&Lot=4324&Val=0e6846db93d4161991970de6e26295b3 http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942272&AucID=698&Lot=4326&Val=61ffcc342b103add198ed62230a5965c During the Dukedom of Georg III (1760-1820) these Reichsthaler were produced: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942271&AucID=698&Lot=4325&Val=f85b47425c31e3156e5a01d4cae7ee68 http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942272&AucID=698&Lot=4326&Val=61ffcc342b103add198ed62230a5965c and this Thaler: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942273&AucID=698&Lot=4327&Val=6de37017030f0f913bb485bde889fc56 Georg IV inherited the Dukedom in 1820, but only served for ten years. This was the last Konventionthaler bearing his image: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942276&AucID=698&Lot=4330&Val=d0510e26965272a291620bae3a247b4e Wilhelm IV ruled for the next seven years (1830-1834). Here's four of his silver coins: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942277&AucID=698&Lot=4331&Val=c3cc352a804dc1fd5d9413718b038f63 http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942278&AucID=698&Lot=4332&Val=5c02ed4c71e0d4c49f912549a34049ef http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942279&AucID=698&Lot=4333&Val=41dbce033b79664ada67f95f047a7248 http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942280&AucID=698&Lot=4334&Val=e3018703262ce32f94b42768c8e37ce8 Ernst August came into power in 1837 and reigned until 1851. Here's a few coins minted while he ruled: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942281&AucID=698&Lot=4335&Val=bf8b0688fb1969baa7f3dececd7605ee http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942283&AucID=698&Lot=4337&Val=e2cd016e35814b4261f9a74e389688b6 http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942287&AucID=698&Lot=4341&Val=ddc0deb6e0c24edc8eefb04f1b0675cd This is a Vereinsthaler: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942291&AucID=698&Lot=4345&Val=2668b3351ef773bc1479d51c69687319 Georg V was Duke from 1851 until 1866: 1853 B Thaler: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942293&AucID=698&Lot=4347&Val=d1e7cea7a367082ed05e897ae8ac5b49 1854 B Vereinsdopplethaler: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942294&AucID=698&Lot=4348&Val=3e90cec15f80b2375425326180f5998e 1862 B Doppelter Vereinsthaler: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942297&AucID=698&Lot=4351&Val=975c1f66a3ca8550106fab925f27d105 1865 B Vereinsthaler: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942299&AucID=698&Lot=4353&Val=86a5e6e07e28dc7a901efc4564b21716 1865 B Veriensthaler Upstalsboom: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=942301&AucID=698&Lot=4355&Val=7a3ac8be425ca2530f95a76805d6f8e7 From 1660-1698 Karl IX reigned as Duke. Here's a Reichsthaler minted in 1692 bearing the initials (JCA) of the mintmaster, Johann Christian Arensburg: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=941250&AucID=697&Lot=2690&Val=0cfb35d86a6fe0e3d1809625a98a44be Duke Georg Ludwig saw these four minor coins struck while in office (1698-1714): http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=964388&AucID=714&Lot=1131&Val=94330c5981d345580108ef6f19d48ea6 http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=964389&AucID=714&Lot=1132&Val=ff5abadd652de9a94300023c33f4c98c http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=964390&AucID=714&Lot=1133&Val=2adbf6f525f2808e3807bab17897cd8e http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=964391&AucID=714&Lot=1134&Val=e0851e3135336fc8cab6aa3ed368dc1b Hope you enjoyed this numismatic trip through an old historical German piggy bank. To be continued... Clinker
Wish I had such pieces in my piggy bank. Thanks for presenting them here, Clinker! Those Wild Man coins sure are interesting; I know a collector in California who focused on such pieces, and anything related to Wild Men ... Also, the Upstalsboom Taler was minted to commemorate the 50th anniversary of East Frisia becoming part of the kingdom of Hannover. The Upstalsboom (German Wikipedia article), near Aurich, was a prominent thing (=assembly) place in Frisian history. The motto Eala Frya Fresena is from the old Frisian coat of arms. Christian
