THALERS OF THE PRE EMPIRE GERMAN STATES CHAPTER 8We've been exploring the Pre Empire German States' Thaler coinage by using an alphabetical sequence. We have now reached the last Free State within the listing for "A" which now stands for Augsburg. Augsburg became a Free Imperial City in 1276 and remained so until 1803. However Augsburg was occupied by Sweden for most of a four year (1632-1635) period until it was annexed to Bavaria during which time Sweden issued a business strike coin denomination of Skilling. Some of the Thaler coinage of Augsburg includes the following denominations: DUKAT GULDENTHALER HELLER KONVENTIONSTHALER REICHSTHALER THALER All photos courtesy of Coin Archives unless noted otherwise. NOTE: The Heller or Häller was originally a German coin valued at half a pfennig and named after the city of Hall am Kocher (today <i>Schwäbisch Hall</b>). The coin was produced from the beginning of the 13th century based on a previously produced silver pfennig (Häller Pfennig, sometimes called Händelheller for it's depiction of a hand on the obverse), but, over the next few years, was debased by mixing in more and more copper until it was no longer considered to be a silver coin. There were red, white and black Heller coins. Heller coins were legal tender throughout many of the German States up to 1873 when, after German unification, Mark and Pfennig were introduced as nationwide coinage. Here's a photo of an early (Heller): AUGSBURG EARLY HELLER As was stated above, Augsburg was occupied by Sweden 1632-1635 and some Gold Dukats were struck as trade coinage between the German States and other nearby states and nations. These two examples were minted in 1632: Augsburg 1632 - Gold Dukat: AUGUSBURG 1632 GOLD DUKAT - SWEDISH OCCUPATION FEATURING GUSTAV II ADOLPH AUGSBURG 1632 GOLD 2 DUKATEN - SWEDISH OCCUPATION FEATURING GUSTAV II ADOLPH AND MARIA ELENORA Karls II graces the obverse of this Augsburg 1737 Dukat. Don't you just want to pull on those curls? AUGUSBURG 1737 GOLD DUKAT - KARLS II 58 years after Sweden's occupation, Augsburg authorized this 1693 gold 2 Dukaten during the leadership of Rupert II (1678-1728): AUGSBURG 1693 GOLD 2 DUKATEN - RUPERT II GULDENTHALER: The Guldenthaler was also referred to as 60 Kreuzer. Here's a photo of a 1574 Guldenthaler minted while Maxinilians II governed Augsburg: AUGSBURG 1574 GULDENTHALER - MAXIMILIANS II KONVENTIONSTHALER While under the leadership of Franz I this 1760 Konventionsthaler was produced: AUGSBURG 1760 SILVER KONVENTIONSTHALER - FRANZ I Three years later (1763) changes were made: AUGSBURG 1763 SILVER KONVENTIONSTHALER - FRANZ I REICHSTHALER Under the leadership of Ferdinands II Augsburg authorized these two 1625 Reichsthaler coins: AUGSBURG 1625 SILVER REICHSTHALER - FERDINANDS II AUGSBURG 1625 SILVER REICHSTHALER - FERDINANDS II TO HONOR SAINT ULRICH Then this Reichsthaler was struck in 1626: AUGSBURG 1626 SILVER REICHSTHALER FERDINANDS II Under Swedish occupation this Reichsthaler was produced in 1632 featuring Gustav II Adolf: AUGSBURG 1632 SILVER REICHSTHALER - SWEDISH OCCUPATION This Reichsthaler was minted in 1639 four years after Augsburg was annexed by Bavaria and features Ferdinands III on its obverse: AUGSBURG 1639 SILVER REICHSTHALER - FERDINANDS III After 1639 Ferdinands III's image on the Reichsthaler changed as this photo of a 1641 Reichsthaler shows: AUGSBURG 1641 SILVER REICHSTHALER - FERDINANDS III Under Leopolds I Augsburg's Reichsthaler coins replaced the leader's image with this: AUGSBURG 1694 REICHSTHALER - LEOPOLDS I THALER: To carry one of these Thalers in your coin purse, you'd have had to be in Augsburg in late 1546 after they were struck. Ludwig II ruled over the Free State for 30 years (1544-1574): AUGUSBURG 1546 SILVER THALER - LUDWIG II Johann Philipp Graf lead Augsburg for 23 years (1689-1712) when, in 1701, this Thaler was produced: AUGSBURG 1701 SILVER THALER - JOHANN PHILIPP GRAF Hope you found this article interesting. To be continued... Clinker
