Halberstadt 1536 1/2 thaler

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Künker sale 404, lot 2276
Halberstadt in 1547

This specimen was lot 2276 in Künker sale 404 (Osnabrück, March 2024), where it sold for €1,800 (about US$2,362 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,

"DAS ERZBISTUM MAINZ. ERZBISCHOF ALBRECHT II. VON BRANDENBURG, 1514-1545. Prägungen Albrechts von Brandenburg als Bischof von Halberstadt, 1514-1545. ½ Taler 1536, Halberstadt. Unter Kardinalshut vierfeldiges Wappen (Brandenburg/ Pommern/Nürnberg/Hohenzollern) mit den Mittelschilden Mainz, Halberstadt und Magdeburg, oben Kreuz, dahinter Schwert und Krummstab gekreuzt//Heiliger Stephan steht halbl. Mit den Steinen als Zeichen des Martyriums, über der linken Schulter ein Palmzweig, zu den Seiten die geteilte Jahreszahl I5 - 36. Von größter Seltenheit. 4. Bekanntes Exemplar. Kl. Prägeschwäche, sehr schön. Exemplar der Auktion Fritz Rudolf Künker 346, Osnabrück 2021, Nr. 192. (Germany, archbishopric of Mainz, Albert II of Brandenburg, 1514-45, half thaler of 1536, Magdeburg mint. Obverse: cardinal's hat over the quartered arms of Brandenburg, Pomerania, Nuremberg and Hohenzollern charged with the escutcheon of Madgeburg, Mainz and Halberstadt, sword and crozier behind; reverse: half length bust of St. Stephen holding stones, the symbol of his martyrdom, and a palm branch, dividing the date. Extremely rare, four examples known, weakly struck, very fine.)"

Albrecht, who was already in debt for his seats as archbishop of Magdeburg and administrator of Halberstadt, took out a loan to finance the fees he paid the pope for the throne of Mainz. He attempted to pay off the loan by selling indulgences, raising the ire of an obscure monk named Martin Luther. The last bishop of Halberstadt resigned in 1479, the diocese being ruled by administrators thereafter. The job was the property of the Hohenzollerns 1513-66. The diocese converted to Lutheranism in 1540 and was administered by Protestants until its annexation by Brandenburg in 1648. This type was struck 1536-42, 1545 and 1549.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: silver, this specimen 14,59 g.

Catalog reference: KM MB15, Besser/Brämer/Bürger 40.29 var.; Slg. Pick I (Auktion Dr. Busso Peus Nachf. 405) -; Slg. Walther -.

Source:

  • Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
  • Nicol, N. Douglas, Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of German Coins, 1501-Present, 3rd ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2011.
  • [1]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Katalog 404: Coins and Medals of the City of Mainz - The Prof. Dr. Eckhart Pick Collection, Part II, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2024.

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