Thaler on the construction of Moritzburg Castle in Zeitz

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Duke Moritz, thaler on the construction of Moritzburg Castle in Zeitz from 1667 ( wide thaler ); Silver; Diameter 45 mm; 29.04 g

The thaler on the construction of Moritzburg Castle in Zeitz , also known as the thaler of Saxony-Zeitz , is a commemorative coin of the Albertine Duke Moritz (1656–1681), the founder of the Sachsen-Zeitz line , with the year 1667. Moritz is the fourth Son of the Saxon Elector Johann Georg I (1611–1656). The front of the thaler shows his armored bust, the back shows the courtyard of his newly built Moritzburg Castle in Zeitz .

Coin-historical connections

Moritzburg Castle in Zeitz, inner courtyard (photo from 2016)

When Elector Johann Georg I on 8 October 1656 his residential palace in Dresden died, he left behind a penned on July 20, 1652 Testament . This included the division of the country among his four sons as a serious point . According to the provisions of this father's will, the eldest son succeeded him as Elector Johann Georg II.  (1656–1680). His second son, Duke August , became the progenitor of the Dukes of Saxony-Weissenfels , who died out in 1746. His third son, Duke Christian , became the progenitor of the Dukes of Saxony-Merseburg , which went out in 1738.

The fourth son, Duke Moritz, administrator of the Naumburg-Zeitz Abbey since 1653 , resided in Naumburg from 1653 to 1663 , then in Zeitz on the Moritzburg he had built. He was the founder of the Sachsen-Zeitz line.

He had his castle built on the foundations of the bishop's castle, which was destroyed in the Thirty Years' War .

After Wilhelm Ernst Tentzel the first "Medal" was in the button set

On July 1, 1663, according to Tentzel , Moritz moved into the newly built castle. The construction of Moritzburg Castle was not thought of with the commemorative coin until 1667, since that year

"The button with ordinary solenities [celebrations] was put on and the first commemorative medal [...] was placed on it."

The specified in the finial from Tentzel as a medal designated commemorative coin , the Gedenktaler of 1667 on the construction of Moritzburg. Tentzel writes about the inscription of the embossing:

" ARCE MAVRITIOBVRGENSI AD FASTIGIVM EXTRVCTA Fieri Fecit Anno 1667 Mense SEPtemb . After the construction of the high-princely residence Moritz-Burg [erected] and the button was put on, this [piece] is on Hochfürstl. Order completed. Anno 1667, in the month of September. "

Moritz died on December 4, 1681 in Zeitz. The branch line of the Kurhaus Sachsen was present from 1656 to 1718. The last offspring of the line, Moritz Adolf Karl von Sachsen-Zeitz-Neustadt , died in 1759 in the clergy.

Coin description

The thaler commemorating the construction of Moritzburg Castle in Zeitz in 1667 is a silver commemorative or show thaler , which Tentzel describes as a “medal made for memory”. The diameter of the piece, which is embossed with a Reichstaler weight of 29.04 grams, is 45 millimeters. The thaler has neither a mintmaster's mark nor a signature of the medalist .

According to the catalog, the coinage is also known to be double the Reichstaler weight. The Moritzburg Castle Museum also has triple and quadruple thalers. All pieces have a diameter of 45 millimeters. The multiple thalers were distributed in the multiple Reichstaler weight. There are no other impressions of the duke.

front

The front shows the armored bust of Duke Moritz von Sachsen-Zeitz with a large baroque wig .

Laurel wreath and palm branch above the tower button

back

The back shows the inner courtyard of the newly built Moritzburg, "above which", according to Tentzel, "the genius holds a Lorber-Crantz and palm branch as a sign of constant Flores and peaceful peace".

  • Inscription: ARCE MAURITIOBURGENSI AD FASTIGIU (m) EXTRUCTA F (ieri) F (ecit) A (nno) 1667 M (ense) SEP (temper)
    • Translation: After the construction of the high ducal residence Moritzburg was (finished) and the button was put on, this (the memorial) was made on the high ducal order. Anno 1667, in the month of September.

Medal or coin

At the time of Tentzel, no distinction was made between the terms “commemorative coin” and “medal”. The high relief and the lack of other coins from Moritz confirm Tentzel's designation as a medal. An example of the fact that coins minted in the thaler weight can be medals is attested by the Locumtenenstaler Friedrich the Wise, which occurs both as guilder groschen (thalers) and as medals with a higher relief, but also minted in the thaler weight. It is also important that Tentzel calls the commemorative thaler on the capture of Gotha a thaler and not a medal.

It is questionable whether the pieces minted in the Reichstaler weight are actually coins. Tentzel's designation as a medal can include due to the high relief and the rarity of the unique pieces.

See also

Saxon coin history

literature

  • Wilhelm Ernst Tentzel : Saxonia Numismatica or medal cabinet of commemorative coins and pennies which the Chur and princes of the Albertine line minted and had manufactured , Dresden, Frankfurt, Gotha 1714. 2nd book, 3rd part (Reprint Transpress Verlag, Berlin 1981 ). Pp. 647/649
  • Wilhelm Ernst Tentzel: Saxonia Numismatica or medal cabinet of commemorative coins and pennies which the Chur and princes of the Albertine line minted and had manufactured , Dresden, Frankfurt, Gotha 1714. 3rd book (Reprint Transpress Verlag, Berlin 1981), Tab. 94. P. 647, I. p. 648
  • Julius Erbstein , Albert Erbstein : Discussions in the field of the Saxon coin and medal history with registration of the Hofrath Engelhardt'schen collection , Dresden 1888
  • N. Douglas Nicol, Colin R. Bruce: Standard Catalog of German Coins. 1601 to Present . Krause Publications, Iola (Wisconsin) 1998, p. 733
  • Michael Lilienthal: Complete Taler Cabinet (Königsberg, Leipzig 1747), p. 500, no. 1438
  • David Samuel Madai : Complete Thaler Cabinet , First Part, Königsberg 1765, p. 465, No. 1438: "Memorial coin on the building of the palace at Zeitz"

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Münzkabinett Dresden: Taler on the construction of Moritzburg Castle in Zeitz
  2. ↑ David Samuel Madai: Complete Thaler Cabinet , First Part, (1765), p. 465, No. 1438: "Memorial coin on the building of the palace at Zeitz"
  3. ↑ Julius Erbstein, Albert Erbstein: Discussions in the field of the Saxon coin and medal history (1888), p. 117
  4. ↑ Julius Erbstein, Albert Erbstein: Discussions in the field of the Saxon coin and medal history (1888), p. 118
  5. ↑ Carol Schwyzer, MoneyMuseum: Architecture on Coins: A residence befitting the prince
  6. ^ Wilhelm Ernst Tentzel: Saxonia Numismatica, Albertine Line , (1714). 2nd book, 3rd part: p. 648
  7. ^ Wilhelm Ernst Tentzel: Saxonia Numismatica, Albertine Line , (1714). 2nd book, 3rd part: p. 649
  8. ^ Brockhaus' Kleines Konversations-Lexikon , Leipzig 1911, p. 587: Sachsen-Zeitz
  9. ↑ Julius Erbstein, Albert Erbstein: Discussions in the field of Saxon coin and medal history (1888), p. 118: Saxony-Zeitz was ceded to Electoral Saxony in 1717
  10. ^ N. Douglas Nicol, Colin R. Bruce: Standard Catalog of German Coins. 1601 to Present (1998), p. 733
  11. ^ Museum Schloss Moritzburg Memorial Kuranttaler on the palace in Zeitz: diameter 4.5 cm; 117g, 87g, 30g
  12. ↑ Michael Lilienthal: Complete Taler-Cabinet (1747), p. 500 No. 1438 with reference to Tentzel
  13. ^ Wilhelm Ernst Tentzel: Saxonia Numismatica, Albertine Line , (1714). 2nd book, 3rd part: pp. 647/649
  14. ^ Wilhelm Ernst Tentzel: Saxonia Numismatica, Albertine Line , (1714). 2nd book, 3rd part: p. 649: The genius holds a laurel wreath and a palm branch.
  15. ^ Wilhelm Ernst Tentzel: Saxonia Numismatica, Albertine Line , (1714). 2nd book, 3rd part: p. 649: Latin / German