Exchange thaler

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Exchange thaler from 1671, Mmz. C – R and Eichel, mint master Constantin Rothe, Dresden Mint

The Wechselthaler (old spelling of Wechsel-Thaler and Wechselthaler ) was issued in 1670 and 1671 in the Electorate of Saxony under Elector Johann Georg II (1656–1680) in the Wechsel or Burgundian Talerfuß (861/1000  fine ). The taler and its pieces were intended as change to favor Leipzig trade with Hamburg and the Netherlands . The first stamps from 1670 therefore have the inscription WECHSELTHALER on the back. The Wechseleltalerfuß was only valid in Electoral Saxony in 1670 and 1671.

Coin history

During the fairs, the thalers of the Dutch provinces , which were minted according to the Burgundian foot, came to Leipzig on the trade route . Although these coins were better than the Electoral Saxon coins , which were minted in the Zinnai foot according to the national currency , they were lower in value than the Speciesreichstaler minted according to the imperial foot . Nevertheless, they were set off on an equal footing with Saxon Speciesreichstalers.

⅓ Kuranttaler 1672. The third-thaler Zinnaischer currency had a face value of 8 groschen, but was only valid for 7 groschen in Hamburg

The third thaler, however, were devalued. According to the Zinna Treaty, they had a face value of 8  groschen , but were only taken for 7 groschen in Hamburg.

Electoral Saxon Speciesreichstaler, Kuranttaler (a bill of exchange according to the Treaty of Zinna), and taler pieces issued in the Burgundian foot had the following differences in value:

  • Evaluation of the Speciesreichstaler in Zinnai currency :
  • Value of the Kuranttaler (bill coin):
    • 1 Kuranttaler = 24 groschen, valued at 10½ pieces on the mark of fine silver, fine weight = 22.27 g (pronounced denominations were ⅔-, ⅓-, ⅙ talers, groschen, threes and pennies.)
  • Value of the taler minted in the Burgundian foot:
    • Thaler minted to 9.67 pieces on the marrow of fine silver, fine weight = 24.19 g

The talers of the Dutch provinces were valued in Zinnai currency 26 groschen, the speciesreichstaler as 28 groschen mentioned above. Since the thalers minted according to the Burgundian foot were accepted as full Reichstaler, protests by the Leipzig merchants, supported by the electoral estates of Saxony. They suggested to the elector that he himself should have the Burgundian foot minted.

“This is the origin and the intention of a coinage that is strangely distinguishable from other Thalers by imprinting the expression: Wechselthaler […], which coin researchers at the time seemed very puzzling […]. g) Johann Jacob Vogel […] notes on p. 750: That the change thalers were (first) minted in 1670, that such were equal in value to the Burgundian thalers, and that such were accepted for change [end of note]. Immediately after the state parliaments were closed in the month of Merz 1670, the beginning was already made with its expression. "

- Friederich Klotzsch : Attempt at a Chur-Saxon coin history

With a decree of March 3, 1670, the Wechseleltalerfuß, which corresponded to the Burgundian foot, was introduced in the Electorate of Saxony. Thereafter it was minted only in the years 1670 and 1671. Proof of this was provided by accounts from the Dresden mint .

Although the exchange Taler slightly lower fineness are applied as the species Reichstaler, they wear on the front in the inscription above the head of the ruler a small orb , the distinctive mark on Saxon coins are minted in Reichsfuß. The reason for this was probably that they were intended as a replacement for the Electoral Saxon Speciesreichstaler. Since the exchange thalers were only slightly less valuable than the speciesreich thalers, they were also used to pay the yield .

With a decree of September 22nd, 1671, Elector Johann Georg II ended the coinage in the Wechseleltalerfuß and reintroduced the Zinnaic foot. The Dutch , Belgian , French and Swiss talers minted according to the Burgundian foot , which were the reason for the coinage of the exchange thalers in Saxony, circulated around 1700 in the hinterland of the North Sea and were the reason that the Lower Saxon estates decided in Hamburg in 1695 to mint trade coins , so-called bank notes , even after the Burgundian foot .

Coin description

The exchange thalers were struck as whole, half and quarter thalers with almost the same coin image in the Dresden mint . Some of the taler pieces minted in 1671 show minor changes in the bust and the form of the coat of arms. But there are also double triple and quadruple change thalers known, which are extremely rare. The inscription WECHSELTHALER on the reverse was only used in the first two quarters of 1670. The majority of the thalers were minted without this inscription with the same design. The front bears the armored bust of Johann Georg II and part of his title inscription. The imperial orb is located above the ruler's head. The reverse shows the simplified Saxon coat of arms under the electoral hat and the continuation of the title inscription, the year and the mint master's mark Eichel, as well as the initials C - R of the Dresden mint master Constantin Rothe.

The stamps of the first thalers were apparently still cut by Johann Caspar Höckner. The following stamps have probably already been made by Ernst Caspar Dürr , who was added to the coin cutter Höckner as an adjunct at the end of 1670 .

Transcription

IOHAN (nes). GEORG (ius). II. D (ei). G (ratia). DUX. SAX (oniae). I (uliaci). CL (iviae). ET. MONT (ium). // SAC (ri). ROM (ani). IMP (erii). ARCHIM (arschallus). ET. ELECT (or).

Johann Georg II., By the grace of God Duke of Saxony , Jülich , Cleve and Berg , Archmarshal and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire .

Expression in the Wechseleltalerfuß

Table according to Arnold / Schwinkowski

Nominal Piece / mixed mark g / Mixed Mark Pieces / mark fine silver g / mark fine silver Fineness (Lot, Grän = 0/00)
Exchange thaler 8.33 28.06 9.67 24.19 13 Lot , 14 Grän = 861.11 ‰
½ exchange thaler 16.67 14.03 19.33 12.1 13 Lot, 14 Grän = 861.11 ‰
¼ exchange thaler 33.33 7.02 38.67 6.05 13 Lot, 14 Grän = 861.11 ‰

See also

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Walther Haupt: Sächsische Münzkunde ..., p. 154
  2. ↑ acsearch: Wechseltaler 1670 with the inscription WECHSELTHALER
  3. ^ Paul Arnold: Walter Haupt and his "Saxon Coin Studies" . In: Numismatic notebooks. No. 20, Dresden 1986, p. 55
  4. ^ Acsearch: Netherlands, West Friesland, Reichstaler 1650, struck after the Burgundian foot
  5. ^ Paul Arnold: The Saxon Thaler Currency from 1500 to 1763 ..., p. 82
  6. ↑ Friedrich von Schrötter (Ed.), ...: Dictionary of Coin Studies ..., p. 18, see Albertustaler
  7. ↑ Walther Haupt: Sächsische Münzkunde …, p. 154: Reduction to 7 groschen
  8. ^ Paul Arnold: The Saxon Thaler Currency from 1500 to 1763 ..., p. 81
  9. ^ Paul Arnold: The Saxon Thaler Currency from 1500 to 1763 ..., p. 80
  10. ^ Paul Arnold: The Saxon Thaler Currency from 1500 to 1763 ..., p. 82, note 45
  11. ^ Paul Arnold: The Saxon Thaler Currency from 1500 to 1763 ..., p. 83
  12. ↑ An attempt at a Chur-Saxon coin history. From the oldest to the present . First part. Chemnitz 1779, p. 620
  13. ^ Paul Arnold: The Saxon Thaler Currency from 1500 to 1763 ..., p. 82: The expression of the national currency after the Zinnaic foot has been temporarily discontinued
  14. ^ Paul Arnold: The Saxon Thaler Currency from 1500 to 1763 ..., p. 83. According to Walter Haupt, however, they are said to have occurred in 1680 according to the relation of the Generalkreiswardein.
  15. ^ Paul Arnold: The Saxon Thaler Currency from 1500 to 1763 ..., p. 82/83
  16. ^ Paul Arnold: The Saxon Thaler Currency from 1500 to 1763 ..., p. 83: The exchange thaler foot was therefore sold.
  17. ↑ Walther Haupt: Sächsische Münzkunde ..., p. 169
  18. ↑ acsearch: ½ exchange thaler 1670
  19. ↑ acsearch: ¼ Wechseltaler 1670
  20. ^ N. Douglas Nicol: Standard Catalog of German Coins 1601 to Present , 1995, p. 743
  21. ↑ acsearch: Thicker, double exchange thaler 1671
  22. ↑ acsearch: Triple exchange thaler 1671
  23. ↑ Julius Erbstein, Albert Erbstein: Discussions in the field of the Saxon coin and medal history with deformation ..., p. 206
  24. ^ Paul Arnold: The Saxon Thaler Currency from 1500 to 1763 ..., p. 83: Reminiscere and Trinitatis
  25. ↑ Julius Erbstein, Albert Erbstein: Discussions in the field of the Saxon coin and medal history with deformation …, p. 213, 228/229
  26. ^ Paul Arnold: The Saxon Thaler Currency from 1500 to 1763 ..., p. 82, note 45, W. Schwinkowski