My Frankfurt-On-The-Main 1863 Project

I have eventually got another couple of coins relevent to the theme.

This one



It is, of course, a French 5 Francs of Napoleon III, and at 1867 is quite contemperanious with the thalers issued by those in the photo - and quite a reasonable coin for all I paid for it.

It's the dealers picture - I don't yet have it in hand - so I will replace it once I get a chance.

A couple more thalers of rulers that were related to the photograph - if not directly present.



Friedrich Wilhelm IV
1855 1 Thaler
Ob. FRIEDR WILHELM IV KOENIG V. PREUSSEN
Rev. EIN THALERXIV EINE F. M. REICH DREI MARK
Edge: GOTT MIT UNS
Silver 0.7500
22.272g
mintage: 7,300,0000
Mint: Berlin


and




Wilhelm I
1861 1 Thaler
Ob. WILHELM KOENIG AUGUSTA KOENIGIN V. PREUSSEN
Rev. SUUM CUIQUE KROENUNGS THALER
Edge: GOTT MIT UNS
Silver 0.900
18.520g
mintage: 1,000,000
Mint: Berlin


Both common coins but they help complete the picture.

The first was issued by Frederick William IV who ruled Prussia between 7 June 1840 and his death on 2 January 1861. By the time the photograph was taken his brother was two years into his rule and the second thaler was issued for his coronation. Perhaps unusually it shows his wife "Augusta of Saxe-Weimar" in a conjoined portrait.

Apparently I can't go back and edit my previous post after one day :( so apologies for repeating this image but not that I have it in hand I can take a much better picture



Napoleon III
1867 5 Francs
Ob. NAPOLEON III EMPEREUR
Rev. EMPIRE FRANCAIS 5 F
Ed. DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE
Silver (0.9000)
weight: 25.0g -
mintage: 6,586,000
Mint: Paris
MM: -


I've also just received this coin - a thaler of Karl of Wurtemburg. At last I have another to fill a space in the main picture




Karl I
1871 1 Thaler
Ob. KARL KOENIG VON WUERTTEMBERG
Rev. MIT GITT DURCH KAMPF ZU SIEG UND EINIGUNG
Ed. EIN PFUND FEIN
Silver 0.9000
18.520g
mintage: 114,000
Mint: ?
(Conclusion of the Franco-Prussian war)


Karl was born on March 6th 1823 and assend the throne on the 25th June 1864, only a few months after the photograph was taken (where he was the Crown Prince)

The former duchy of Wurtenburg was elevated into a kingdom by Napoleon in 1806 having been enlarged by the annexation of small principalities and ecclesiastical territorities. The civil list allocated the king at the time (1863) was 882,400 florins or about £73,566, with additional amounts for other royal family members. Allowing for inflation I think this translates to about £7million per annum.

Another one added - Just a Siege thaler of William I - a common coin - but quite a nice one.



William I
1871 1 Thaler
Ob. WILLIAM KOENIG VON PREUSSEN
Rev. SIEGES THALER
Edge: GOTT MIT UNS
Silver 0.9000
Weight: 18.52g, 33mm
mintage: 800,000
Mint: Berlin

Baden's mint was in Mannheim (until 1826) and then moved to Karlsruhe, where it is still located. (Today it is one of two mints in the state of Baden-Württemberg.) So I suppose your Taler was minted in Karlsruhe ...

Christian

Maximillian II died shortly after the photograph was taken and his son Ludwig II took the crown. There followed a rather dark period of rulership in Bavaria and Ludwig II died under somewhat mysterious circumstances.

This thaler however harkens back to the reverse design often seen on thalers of the previous century. They are eailsy obtained but the reverse is usually worn. This one (although a lot later) seems to have been quite well preserved



Ludwig II
1868 1 Thaler
Ob. LVDOVICVS II BAVARIAE REX
Rev. PATRONA BAVARIAE
Edge:
Silver 0.9000
18.5200g
mintage: ?
Mint: Munich

Unfortunately - either through wear or a poor strike - the edge legend is quite faint. I can make out ".... EIN PFUND" but the rest is quite difficult - if anyone knows what this should be - please let me know.

Malcolm

This is my absolutely last purchase for a while - while funds recover anyway :)

But it's rather nice one I think




Wilhelm
1866 1 Thaler
Ob. WILHELM HERZOG Z. BRAUNSCHWIG U. LUN.
Rev. EIN VEREINSTHALER XXX EIN PFUND FEIN
Ed. NEC ASPERA TERRENT
Silver 0.9000
18.5200g
mintage: 107,000
Mint: B - Hannover
MM:Theodor Wilhelm bruel




William was born on April 25th 1806 and ruled Brunswick from 1830 until his death on Octopber 18th 1884. Initially William was a supporter of his brother Charles's rule, but after a year he named himself duke. His brother made several unsucessful attempts to depose his brother. He spent most of his time at his estate in Oels, and left the administration of state to his officials. He joined the Norther German Confederation in 1866 though his relationship with Prussia was strained as Prussia did not recognise hes nearest male relative as rightful heir. William managed to keep Brunswick independent when Prussia annexed Hanover in 1866, and it became a member of the German Empire in 1871. The Ducal house of Brunswick was one of the most ancient and illustrious of the Germanic Confederation. Its ancestor, Henry the Lion, possessed, in the 12th century the united duchies of Bavaria and Saxony with other territories in the north of Germany. However, having refused to aid the Emperor Friederich Barbarossa in his wars with the Pope, he was by decree of the Diet, deprived of the whole of his territories with the sole exception of the principalities of Brunswick and Luneburg. Their possessions were on the death of Ernst the confessor, divided between the two sons of the latter who became the founders of the lines of Brunswick-wolfenbuttel and Brunswick-Lunburg, the former of which is represented by William in the House of Brunswick and the latter by the royal family of the UK. William was one of the wealthiest of German soverigns, being in possession of immense private estates, including the principality of Oels, in Silesia and large domains in the district of Glatz, in Prussia.

Because William had no heir the his house (the House of Wolfenbuttel, senior branch of the house of Welf) would pass to the House of Hannover, but Prussia did not want George V of Hanover or his son to take this throne without swearing allegiance to the German constitution. While the Duke of Cumberland proclaimed himself duke after Williams death, the lenghty negotiations were never fully resolved.


I'm not 100% sure what the edge inscription means. The nearest I can come up with is:
"By Difficulty Undaunted" which is actually also the moto of The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (a local British regiment)


One of my favourite thalers to date I think.

Malcolm

Hi - no, not a proof- just in great condition. I don't really like proofs - they don't have as much history as they never circulated. I really prefer EF as a grade - though of course, most of my coins are way below that.

Actually that's not quite true -- I prefer "eye appeal" which might be EF - but generally isn't for my ancients collection.