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A Broad Double Thaler of Christian Ludwig of Brunswick-Lüneburg-Celle, 1662
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<p>[QUOTE="robinjojo, post: 6517150, member: 110226"]Here's a broad thaler, struck with roller dies, from Brunswick-Lüneburg-Celle, dated 1662, produced during the reign of Duke Christian Ludwig (1622-1665).</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1260596[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>The Dutchy of Brunswick included rich deposits of silver in the Harz Mountains, located in central Germany.</p><p><br /></p><p>From Wikipedia:</p><p><br /></p><p><i>The Upper Harz was once one of the most important mining regions in Germany.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_in_the_Upper_Harz#cite_note-Fleisch-1" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_in_the_Upper_Harz#cite_note-Fleisch-1" rel="nofollow">[1]</a> The major products of its mines were silver, copper, lead, iron and, from the 19th century, zinc as well. The main source of income, however, was silver. From the 16th to the middle of the 19th centuries about 40–50% of the entire German silver production originated in the Upper Harz.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_in_the_Upper_Harz#cite_note-Bornhardt-2" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_in_the_Upper_Harz#cite_note-Bornhardt-2" rel="nofollow">[2]</a> The taxes raised from this contributed significantly to the revenue of the royal houses in Hanover and Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and helped to secure their positions of power and influence within the empire.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>Its lucrativeness justified a high commitment in terms of investment and effort. The Upper Harz mining industry produced a considerable number of innovations and inventions, including such important advances as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_engine" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_engine" rel="nofollow">man engine</a>, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water-column_engine" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water-column_engine" rel="nofollow">water-column engine</a> and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wire_cable" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wire_cable" rel="nofollow">wire cable</a>.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>In the Upper Harz, vein mining (Gangerzbergbau) predominated. Excavation followed the almost vertically standing lodes or veins (Erzgängen) downwards.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_in_the_Upper_Harz#cite_note-Knissel-3" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_in_the_Upper_Harz#cite_note-Knissel-3" rel="nofollow">[3]</a> In their heyday the Upper Harz Mines were among the deepest in the world. For example, as early as 1700 or so shafts were already exceeding depths of 300 metres and, around 1830, a depth of 600 metres was achieved – which was considered significant at that time because it was below sea level.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_in_the_Upper_Harz#cite_note-Bornhardt2-4" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_in_the_Upper_Harz#cite_note-Bornhardt2-4" rel="nofollow">[4]</a></i></p><p><br /></p><p>The obverse of this coin provides a detailed view of the mining process in the 17th century, including two horse power houses, to the left and center.</p><p><br /></p><p>From Wikipedia:</p><p><br /></p><p><i>In the 17th century the shafts reached depths of between 100 and 200 m. Ore could no longer be removed by hand and horsepower was increasingly used. The horses worked in a cone-shaped building, the Göpel or Gaipel, which housed a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whim_(mining)" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whim_(mining)" rel="nofollow">horse whim</a>, a winch that was driven by the horses walking in a circle. The hauling cable (made of natural fibre) or cast-iron chain was wound up and down over a vertical axle. The cable was routed down the shaft and hauled barrels of ore up and down. Due to the shaft's incline, barrels were covered with iron runners on one side, resting partly on the side of the shaft. Above ground at the pithead the ore was emptied out and transported away by horse and cart for processing.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>[ATTACH=full]1260597[/ATTACH] </i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p>This coin came to me by way of Karl Stephens, back in the mid 1980's. It came from a Swiss auction, but I don't have an auction ticket.</p><p><br /></p><p>This type of multiple thaler does come up for sale and at auction from time to time in the lower weights, say up to two thaler weight, the higher weights far less frequently. This coinage was produced in different weights, from 1 1/4 thalers up to 16 thalers!</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.money.org/ana-blog/thalers" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.money.org/ana-blog/thalers" rel="nofollow">https://www.money.org/ana-blog/thalers</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Given the size of these coins, it is safe to assume that they were not intended to circulate as day-to-day coinage. Indeed, one account is that wealthy individuals were required by the dukes to acquire these coins, the size purchased based on the individual's wealth. The story continues that the owners were required to turn their thalers in to the duke, in exchange for debased coin, giving the duke an instant source of good silver in times of need.</p><p><br /></p><p>Dutchy of Brunswick, 1662-LW</p><p>Brunswick-Lüneburg-Celle</p><p>Christian Ludwig (1622-1665)</p><p>Double mining thaler</p><p>Obverse: The Brunswick horse flying over an intricate mining scene, a crowned CL monogram on the hip, an arm above holding a laurel wreath over the horse's head.</p><p>Reverse: SINCERE ET CONSTANTER.ANNO.1662, Crowned 'CL' mongram within laurel wreath; border of fourteen family shields around, "2" stamped between 6 and 7 o'clock, to the right of the date.</p><p>Dav-LS189</p><p><br /></p><p>57.5 grams, 63 mm.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1260564[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>In terms of condition, this coin was cleaned at some point, but has re-toned over the years that I have owned it. I think this coin grades VF.</p><p><br /></p><p>This coin's design, in addition to the detail, has a grace and appeal all its own.</p><p><br /></p><p>Also, this coin comes holed, sometimes. Apparently it was a popular object for a medallion. Some examples have been repaired. I had a 1 1/2 mining thalers from a later duke (I think it was Fredrich), which had a hole repaired with wax. The wax was virtually the same metallic color as the surrounding metal, so it was a good, and innovative repair, but one you would not want to put it near any significant source of heat![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="robinjojo, post: 6517150, member: 110226"]Here's a broad thaler, struck with roller dies, from Brunswick-Lüneburg-Celle, dated 1662, produced during the reign of Duke Christian Ludwig (1622-1665). [ATTACH=full]1260596[/ATTACH] The Dutchy of Brunswick included rich deposits of silver in the Harz Mountains, located in central Germany. From Wikipedia: [I]The Upper Harz was once one of the most important mining regions in Germany.[URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_in_the_Upper_Harz#cite_note-Fleisch-1'][1][/URL] The major products of its mines were silver, copper, lead, iron and, from the 19th century, zinc as well. The main source of income, however, was silver. From the 16th to the middle of the 19th centuries about 40–50% of the entire German silver production originated in the Upper Harz.[URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_in_the_Upper_Harz#cite_note-Bornhardt-2'][2][/URL] The taxes raised from this contributed significantly to the revenue of the royal houses in Hanover and Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and helped to secure their positions of power and influence within the empire. Its lucrativeness justified a high commitment in terms of investment and effort. The Upper Harz mining industry produced a considerable number of innovations and inventions, including such important advances as the [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_engine']man engine[/URL], the [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water-column_engine']water-column engine[/URL] and the [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wire_cable']wire cable[/URL]. In the Upper Harz, vein mining (Gangerzbergbau) predominated. Excavation followed the almost vertically standing lodes or veins (Erzgängen) downwards.[URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_in_the_Upper_Harz#cite_note-Knissel-3'][3][/URL] In their heyday the Upper Harz Mines were among the deepest in the world. For example, as early as 1700 or so shafts were already exceeding depths of 300 metres and, around 1830, a depth of 600 metres was achieved – which was considered significant at that time because it was below sea level.[URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_in_the_Upper_Harz#cite_note-Bornhardt2-4'][4][/URL][/I] The obverse of this coin provides a detailed view of the mining process in the 17th century, including two horse power houses, to the left and center. From Wikipedia: [I]In the 17th century the shafts reached depths of between 100 and 200 m. Ore could no longer be removed by hand and horsepower was increasingly used. The horses worked in a cone-shaped building, the Göpel or Gaipel, which housed a [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whim_(mining)']horse whim[/URL], a winch that was driven by the horses walking in a circle. The hauling cable (made of natural fibre) or cast-iron chain was wound up and down over a vertical axle. The cable was routed down the shaft and hauled barrels of ore up and down. Due to the shaft's incline, barrels were covered with iron runners on one side, resting partly on the side of the shaft. Above ground at the pithead the ore was emptied out and transported away by horse and cart for processing. [ATTACH=full]1260597[/ATTACH] [/I] This coin came to me by way of Karl Stephens, back in the mid 1980's. It came from a Swiss auction, but I don't have an auction ticket. This type of multiple thaler does come up for sale and at auction from time to time in the lower weights, say up to two thaler weight, the higher weights far less frequently. This coinage was produced in different weights, from 1 1/4 thalers up to 16 thalers! [URL]https://www.money.org/ana-blog/thalers[/URL] Given the size of these coins, it is safe to assume that they were not intended to circulate as day-to-day coinage. Indeed, one account is that wealthy individuals were required by the dukes to acquire these coins, the size purchased based on the individual's wealth. The story continues that the owners were required to turn their thalers in to the duke, in exchange for debased coin, giving the duke an instant source of good silver in times of need. Dutchy of Brunswick, 1662-LW Brunswick-Lüneburg-Celle Christian Ludwig (1622-1665) Double mining thaler Obverse: The Brunswick horse flying over an intricate mining scene, a crowned CL monogram on the hip, an arm above holding a laurel wreath over the horse's head. Reverse: SINCERE ET CONSTANTER.ANNO.1662, Crowned 'CL' mongram within laurel wreath; border of fourteen family shields around, "2" stamped between 6 and 7 o'clock, to the right of the date. Dav-LS189 57.5 grams, 63 mm. [ATTACH=full]1260564[/ATTACH] In terms of condition, this coin was cleaned at some point, but has re-toned over the years that I have owned it. I think this coin grades VF. This coin's design, in addition to the detail, has a grace and appeal all its own. Also, this coin comes holed, sometimes. Apparently it was a popular object for a medallion. Some examples have been repaired. I had a 1 1/2 mining thalers from a later duke (I think it was Fredrich), which had a hole repaired with wax. The wax was virtually the same metallic color as the surrounding metal, so it was a good, and innovative repair, but one you would not want to put it near any significant source of heat![/QUOTE]
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A Broad Double Thaler of Christian Ludwig of Brunswick-Lüneburg-Celle, 1662
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