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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;talerman, post: 3149806, member: 89314&quot;]To calm DEA down, here is a 1608 coin</p><p><br /></p><p>Germany Bishopric of HILDESHEIM Ernst of Bavaria Reichstaler</p><p><br /></p><p>There is some interesting history behind this coin. Although the Bishops of Hildesheim had received the mint right in the 11th century, they stopped striking coins in 1428 while the Town of Hildesheim, which received the mint right in 1528 (and actually struck coins earlier) continued producing coins. When Ernst decided he wanted to restart an episcopal mint, he was opposed by the town, who, I guess, did not want the competition.&nbsp; He dealt with the situation by setting up a mint on a property he owned at Moritzberg outside the town.</p><p><br /></p><p>Ernst was a very successful churchman. The youngest son of Duke Albrecht V of Bavaria, he was earmarked for an ecclesiastical career from an early age. He was elected bishop of Freising in 1566 at the age of 12&nbsp; and of Hildesheim in 1573 at the age of 19. In 1581 he became Prince-Bishop&nbsp; of Liège (with its attached territories Bouillon, the county of Looz and the marquessate of Franchimont),&nbsp; and Prince-Abbot of Stablo and Malmedy, a double abbey consisting of two neighbouring Benedictine monasteries.&nbsp; When the Archbishop of Cologne converted to Protestantism, setting off the Cologne Wars, Ernst&nbsp; became the successful Catholic contender for the title and was elected Archbishop in 1583 after the deposition of his predecessor. The archbishopric also brought with it the titles and lands of the Duchy of Westphalia and the city of Arnsberg. Much more important, the archbishops of Cologne were one of the seven Electors of the Holy Roman Emperor. That apparently was not enough. In 1585 he was also elected Bishop of Münster. </p><p><br /></p><p>The reverse of this Taler has a circle of 16 shields with the arms of all his territories.&nbsp; Clockwise from top: Cologne (cross), Hildesheim (divisions per pale), Freising (negro head), Malmedy Abbey (dragon), Westphalia (prancing horse), Bouillon (bar &amp; Liège pillar,divided), Arnsberg (eagle), Hasbain (head ?), Horn (3 horns), Looz (horizontal bars) ,Franchimont (3 lions rampant), Angria (3 waterlilies), Pfalz (lion rampant), Stablo Abbey (crozier,lamb &amp; oak tree), Münster (bar) and Liège (pillar).&nbsp; In the centre is a shield supported by 2 lions with the arms of Bavaria (lozanges). </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]806687[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]806688[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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