Coin commerating the election of Franz Von Lothringen as the new Holy Roman Emperor AV Dukat 1745 Frankfurt Mint Frankfurt/ Imperial City Franz I 1745-65 He was the husband of Empress Maria Theresia of Habsburg
Thank Mat! Actually. its an older one. I won that from Sincona in 2013/ but forgot to ever post it. Well, better late then never Frankfurt did a series of election commeratives from Maximilian I right to Franz II. I never knew these Emperors where elected, I thought it was hereditary. Always learning new stuff, that is what makes our hobby so great, plus others things....
Well, it was elected, but for a long time (1438-1740 according to Wikipedia) the Holy Roman Emperor was always from the house of Habsburg, so it was very nearly hereditary. And it wasn't a popular election in which ordinary people could vote. I think the electors were the more important princes of the various component states. So a ruler might have a title such as Frederick, the Great Elector.
No, but coin is perfect no marks at all. The mint masters of the HRE really had high standards/ plus exceptional mint engravers. Their dies where polished, and never over used. Other nations had those God awfull "adjustments marks" die flaws. The French/ Spanish had poor quality mint products/ esp. the hammered stuff.
I think the "electors" would have been from HRE ruled Cities/ States. Friedrich II Der Grosse would have been sent home or beheaded.....the Austrians hated him.
