During much of this year we've been seeking info and photos of the Thaler Coinage of the German States (all 1,800 of them). Have you ever wondered about the When, Why, and Where of the first Thaler coin that was minted? Silver Joachimsthaler of Stephen, count of Schlik Bohemia, AD 1520s The original Thaler The supply of silver within Europe expanded in the late fifteenth century (1400s), from mines in Saxony, Bohemia and Tyrol. The mining states replaced their gold coins (gulden or ducats weighing about 3.5g) with large silver ones of the same face value, weighing about 30g. They were called guldiners or guldengroschen from their origin as equivalents to gold coins. The most productive mines were Schwaz in Tyrol and Schneeburg in Saxony, which became active from the 1460s. In the early sixteenth century they were joined by Annaberg in Saxony, and St Joachimsthal (modern Jachymov) in Bohemia. St Joachimsthal was hugely productive, and gave this type of coin a new name: Joachimsthaler guldengroschen. Because this coin's name, introduced by Stephen, count of Schlik (about 1519-30), who owned St Joachimsthal in 1519 was such a mouthful to pronounce lt became known simply as Thaler. By the way, St Joachim was the father of the Virgin Mary and he is featured on the obverse of the coin while the lion that was part of the Count''s crest is featured on the reverse. Here'a photo of one of those first Thaler coins: http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_image.aspx?image=k146418.jpg&retpage=17531 Hope you enjoyed seeing this first Thaler... Clinker
Ha, Clinker, I have one. Errm, not really. But the least expensive (and probably least durable) type is what someone will get who stays at a hotel in Jáchymov these days: a chocolate replica of a Joachimsthaler! What I have always found peculiar about the coin is that, even though Schlick could make "his" Joachimsthaler for only about ten years (he lost the right to mint coins in 1528), the name thaler - or Taler in today's German - got stuck ... Christian
I do have one and several other types from the Count Schlik mines all ranging from 1519 to 1526. It is amazing piece of history and silver.
