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NEWP: Joachimsthaler, Thaler Minting History and Evolution
Zohar
Posts: 6,714 ✭✭✭✭✭
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 Silvereagle82 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.
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.
Habsburg Talers
TalerUniverse.com is a curated numismatic project dedicated to the silver talers, crowns, and medals of the Habsburg Empire and the Holy Roman Empire, spanning the 16th–18th centuries. The collection emphasizes historically significant issues, rare mint varieties, and high-grade NGC/PCGS examples, presented with detailed historical context, scholarly references, and high-resolution photography. TalerUniverse aims to serve both as a private collection showcase and a growing reference resource for collectors, researchers, and students of early-modern European coinage.
TalerUniverse.com is a curated numismatic project dedicated to the silver talers, crowns, and medals of the Habsburg Empire and the Holy Roman Empire, spanning the 16th–18th centuries. The collection emphasizes historically significant issues, rare mint varieties, and high-grade NGC/PCGS examples, presented with detailed historical context, scholarly references, and high-resolution photography. TalerUniverse aims to serve both as a private collection showcase and a growing reference resource for collectors, researchers, and students of early-modern European coinage.
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Comments
Gary
Gary
Heck I wasn't even sure what the significance of what I was helping you look for
I glad you found one and it looks so much nicer than it did the other night .... of course it was mightly late !!
Everyone I can tell you this is a very scarce type of Thaler (Dav 8078) and I know from an extensive first hand research of all my world auction house catalogs and internet sources
I appreciate the assistance as I had to decide quickly on this specific one.
TalerUniverse.com is a curated numismatic project dedicated to the silver talers, crowns, and medals of the Habsburg Empire and the Holy Roman Empire, spanning the 16th–18th centuries. The collection emphasizes historically significant issues, rare mint varieties, and high-grade NGC/PCGS examples, presented with detailed historical context, scholarly references, and high-resolution photography. TalerUniverse aims to serve both as a private collection showcase and a growing reference resource for collectors, researchers, and students of early-modern European coinage.
World Collection
British Collection
German States Collection
One question though...isn't pretty much anything from the 1590s rare? This is just that much rarer then everything else, I take it? I've personally never even seen something from the 1590s before...at least in person.
P.S. Am I dreaming or was your post about "H" umm deleted/hacked/yanked?
Marc
Be well,
Zohar
TalerUniverse.com is a curated numismatic project dedicated to the silver talers, crowns, and medals of the Habsburg Empire and the Holy Roman Empire, spanning the 16th–18th centuries. The collection emphasizes historically significant issues, rare mint varieties, and high-grade NGC/PCGS examples, presented with detailed historical context, scholarly references, and high-resolution photography. TalerUniverse aims to serve both as a private collection showcase and a growing reference resource for collectors, researchers, and students of early-modern European coinage.
Do you or anyone else know if the mint muzeum contains any coin or minting process (dies, presses, etc.) displays ??
LINK 1
TalerUniverse.com is a curated numismatic project dedicated to the silver talers, crowns, and medals of the Habsburg Empire and the Holy Roman Empire, spanning the 16th–18th centuries. The collection emphasizes historically significant issues, rare mint varieties, and high-grade NGC/PCGS examples, presented with detailed historical context, scholarly references, and high-resolution photography. TalerUniverse aims to serve both as a private collection showcase and a growing reference resource for collectors, researchers, and students of early-modern European coinage.
Here's the museum's official site. No english, but a few good pics
Contact info listed here - I'm sure they'd be glad to help with any questions, especially considering they're stuck in this weather:
My wantlist & references
TalerUniverse.com is a curated numismatic project dedicated to the silver talers, crowns, and medals of the Habsburg Empire and the Holy Roman Empire, spanning the 16th–18th centuries. The collection emphasizes historically significant issues, rare mint varieties, and high-grade NGC/PCGS examples, presented with detailed historical context, scholarly references, and high-resolution photography. TalerUniverse aims to serve both as a private collection showcase and a growing reference resource for collectors, researchers, and students of early-modern European coinage.
I heartily agree.
Last I knew I think Ajaan was responsible (among others) as a senior forum fellow to officially proclaim a DPOTD.
is that you end up being governed by inferiors. – Plato