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Replies: 8 / Views: 4,510 |
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Pillar of the Community
Norway
510 Posts |
Inspired by Zohar, I managed to acquire an unusual Thaler myself. The piece in question comes from the Austrian principality of Eszterhazy. The Eszterhazys were an old and influential Hungarian family. They had coinage rights for over 200 years but exercised them only once, in the year 1770 under Nicolas Joseph - who is perhaps best known as a patron of Joseph Haydn for 30 years. On this occasion three different coins were minted, the half Thaler (mintage: 500) the Thaler (mintage: 406!) both silver, and a gold Ducat (mintage: ?) This one definitely represents the lowest original mintage of any coin in my collection. Very nice grade, too  
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3499 Posts |
Wow, Nice! That is amazing that you were able to find a coin with such a low mintage.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1429 Posts |
This is awesome - Congrats! I have Davenports "The Talers of the Austrian Noble Houses" whihc lists this as the only Eszterhazy Taler. Mintage indeed of 406. Description: The Eszterhazys were probably the richest and most famous Hungarian noble family. Already prominent in the 1th century, hey were divided into the Zerhazy and Illeshazy branches. Franz Zerhazy who inherited the lordship and castle of Galantha in Slovekia near Pressburg, named himself Eszterhazy in 1584. In 1687 Paul Eszterhazy, hereditary count of Forchenstein (Frakno) was granted the title of prince of the empire by Leopold I. Nikolaus Joseph, who like other members of the family held the highest offices and titles in Hungary, was the only Eszterhazy to exercise coinage priviledge. Great pickup !
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1429 Posts |
Litotes - just looked at it again. Well done!
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Beautiful coin, congrats.
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Pillar of the Community
 Norway
510 Posts |
Thanks all! And thanks Zohar, for the extra information. I really appreciate it  Good to know also that Davenport agrees with Krause, since the latter cannot always entirely be trusted. A mintage of 406 seems ridiculously low, but other 17th century Austrian states have in fact produced even lower. I spotted both 200 and 300 when I searched this area in my Krause. These are, if not cheap, then at least affordable. One shudders to think what a US dollar from the same period with similar mintage would cost....
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1429 Posts |
I have this Charles VI 2 Taler which has mintage of 834. If you run across another similar one you dont want let me know and I will grab it :) 
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Pillar of the Community
 Norway
510 Posts |
I'll be happy to let you know, Zohar, if I find a Thaler with the combination of good grade and low mintage for sale. I do not have a bugdet for many of these so I'll definitely not "Corner the market". Do you have any requirements? I mean, something like "At least VF-30"? I find buying such coins in F or worse to be unappealing and would rather have fewer but nicer coins myself. Based on the very high graded coins you share pictures of I would guess you feel the same :)
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Valued Member
United States
217 Posts |
Wow! That is a very impressive taler with an incredible mintage and story to say the least. Congrats on that piece. 
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Replies: 8 / Views: 4,510 |
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