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 Replies: 13 / Views: 7,124 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1429 Posts |
I just received a very hard to find 1595 Rudolf II Taler from Joachimstal, Bohemia (now Czech Republic). Late night research with the help of a forum friend made this purchase easier to swallow. While the Taler is crude in design compared to others, the historical significance and grade for this type is unique.
I will explain the historical background in order to emphasize it's importance.
Background
The roots and development of the Thaler-sized silver coin date back to the mid-1400s. As the fifteenth century drew to a close the state of much of Europe's coinage was quite poor because of repeated debasement induced by the costs of continual warfare, and by the incessant centuries-long loss of silver and gold in indirect one-sided trades importing spices and porcelain and silk and other fine cloths and exotic goods from India, Indonesia and the Far East.
The Guldiner
From the later fifteenth century onwards, many princes and city-states began striking much larger and much finer silver coins. The first to do so was the Habsburg Austrian Archduke Sigismond of Tyrol who, in 1486, used his silver mines at Schwaz to mint a new prototype, the Guldengroschen, nicknamed the Guldiner, weighing 31.9 grams, which was worth 1 golden florin (Goldgulden). This was a very rare coin, almost a trial piece, but it did circulate so successfully that demand could not be met. These silver Guldiner, Gulden Groschen, or Talers were of the general size that the English later adopted for their silver crowns and, subsequently, the Americans for their silver dollars.
The Joachimsthaler
By 1518 Guldiners were popping up everywhere in central Europe. In Bohemia, a part of the Holy Roman Empire then controlled by the Jagellonian monarchs, a Guldiner was minted- of similar physical size but slightly less fineness- that was named the Joachimsthaler from the silver mined by the Counts of Schlick at a rich source near Joachimsthal (St. Joachim's Valley, Czech: Jáchymov) (now in the Czech Republic) where Thal (Tal) means "valley" in German.
Joachim, the father of the Virgin Mary, was portrayed on the coin - Joachimsthaler
Bohemia, Joachimsthal Map
The Old Mint Building
Jáchymov was the main center of silver mining in Europe after the 16th cent., but its present output is negligible. Similar coins began to be minted in neighboring valleys rich in silver deposits, each named after the particular 'thal' or valley from which the silver was extracted. There were soon so many of them that these silver coins began to be known more widely as 'thaler'. From these earliest 'thalaer' developed the new Thaler - the coin that Europe had been looking for to create a standard for commerce.
The Joachimsthaler coins minted in the 16th century became known as Thalers for short, with the later word "Dollar" and similar words for monetary units in many languages deriving from it.
It amazes me how a small town called Joachimsthal, facing a valley, has impacted world currency to this date. Edited by Zohar444
02/09/2010 7:38 pm
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Moderator
 United States
23550 Posts |
Excellent information Thank you
rggoodie
aka Richard
"catch em doing something right"
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Valued Member
United States
220 Posts |
Thank you for the information.  |
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Pillar of the Community
Thailand
1509 Posts |
Yet another fascinating insight into the development of currencies. The expertise and passion shown on this forum is truly amazing.
Just wanted to say thanks to zohar444 and all the other experts who post these aticles on such a regular basis. Just keep 'em coming.
Vic
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
585 Posts |
Zohar444 - beautifully presented, thank you. I would only add how different countries corrupt the word Thaler:
Netherlands - daalder
Czech Republic - tolar
Denmark - daler
Just for curiosity here is my Joachymsthaler minted under Bohemian King and Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I.
 
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3499 Posts |
zohar444- Wonderful info! Thanks!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
677 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
Germany
1238 Posts |
Quote:
I would only add how different countries corrupt the word Thaler Ahem, I would not call that "corrupt" but rather "adapt".  In German, for example, we do not use that spelling any more either - it has been "Taler" for more than 100 years. By the way, Slovenia's currency, before the country adopted the euro, was also named "tolar" ... Christian |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
585 Posts |
Quote:
I would not call that "corrupt" but rather "adapt". Christian - of cause you are rightSorry, English is my second language. |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
4227 Posts |
Thanks, Zohar, I love the historical education that can be learned from displays or presentations such as these. Beautiful coins |
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Valued Member
United States
217 Posts |
Very nice Zohar! Maybe you need to work on convincing your wife to let you go on a numismatic tour of Europe? I dont's know what would be more interesting - seeing the pics and stories, or watching you try to convince her to join you.  |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1429 Posts |
Good luck with that !
I would love to go on a tour of Europe!
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Valued Member
United States
141 Posts |
It is such a pleasure and education to experience the in-put and knowledge of this board THANKS TO ALL
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
Excellent history lesson, thanks |
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Replies: 13 / Views: 7,124 |
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Posted 02/08/2010 10:02 pm
