Austria 1747-WI 1/2 thaler
This specimen was lot 70073 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Santa Ana, CA, May 2020), where it sold for $432. The catalog description[1] noted, "AUSTRIA. 1/2 Taler, 1747-WI. Vienna Mint. Franz I. NGC MS-63. A deeply toned Mint State survivor with subtle blue coloration integrated into the fields on the obverse and lighter coloration on the reverse where original brilliance shines through." This type was struck 1746-50 at Graz, Vienna (shown here) and Kremnitz. The bust is of Francis of Lorraine, husband of Maria Theresia and Holy Roman Emperor. In 1751, the weight was reduced to the convention thaler standard (KM 2036, 14.03 g) and struck in that form 1751-65 at the above mints plus Hall and Karlsburg. While this type is not rare, it is scarcer than the half convention thaler.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 14.45 g, 0.875 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM-2035.
- Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
- Herinek, Gerhard, Austria Münzkatalog: Munzen ab 1745 und Banknoten ab 1759, 49. Auflage, Vienna: Christine Steyrer Verlag, 2022.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, The May 2020 Collector's Choice sale: World and Ancient Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2020.
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