Hesse-Cassel 1711 1/2 thaler
This specimen was lot 33538 in Heritage sale 3114 (New York, January 2024), where it sold for $1,560. The lot description[1] noted, "German States: Hesse-Cassel. Karl 1/2 Taler 1711 MS61 NGC, Kassel mint. By E. P. Kohler. A commemorative type on the death of Karl's wife Maria Amalia. Conditionally challenging, presented here with needle-point motifs, a pleasing tone and the highest grade awarded by NGC." Karl died in 1730 after a reign of nearly sixty years and was succeeded by his son Friedrich, who was king of Sweden since 1720. His wife, Maria Amalia, who is commemorated here, had fourteen children and ten miscarriages. Her death was also noted on a thaler (Dav-2292).
Wikipedia comments,
"The Landgraves of Hesse-Kassel were famous for renting out their army to European Great Powers during the 17th and 18th centuries. It was a widespread practice at the time for small countries to rent out troops to larger countries in exchange for subsidies. ...Hesse-Kassel took the practice to an extreme, maintaining 5.3% of its population under arms in 1730. This was a higher proportion than even Prussia, a country that was so heavily militarized that it was described as 'not a country with an army, but an army with a country'. The Hessian army served as a readily available reserve for the Great Powers. During the American War of Independence, 25% of the British army consisted of troops rented from German princes, half of whom came from Hesse-Kassel and nearby Hesse-Hanau."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver.
Catalog reference: KM 355.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- [1]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, 2024 January 16 - 18 NYINC World Coins Signature Auction #3114, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2023.
Link to: