Hesse 1552 thaler Dav-9271
This specimen was lot 2187 in Künker Auction 425 (Osnabrück, July 2025), where it sold for €2,600 (about US$3,682 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"DEUTSCHE MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN · HESSEN, LANDGRAFSCHAFT Philipp der Großmütige, 1509-1567. Taler 1552, Kassel. Spruchtaler. R Hübsche Patina, kl. Sammlerpunze im Feld der Vorderseite, fast vorzüglich. (Germany, landgraviate of Hesse, Philip "the Magnanimous", 1509-67, "speech" thaler of 1552, Cassel mint. Rare, nice patina, coolector's mark "S" punched in the field of the obverse, about extremely fine.)
Die Rückseitenumschrift: BESS·LAND·V·LVD·V·LORN·ALS·EN FALSCH·AID·GESCHWORN. (Stern) soll einen Ausspruch des Landgrafen Philipp wiedergeben, womit der Taler zu seiner Bezeichnung "Spruchtaler" kommt. Der Spruch bezieht sich auf die Entlassung Philipps aus der Gefangenschaft des Kaisers, ohne dem reformatorischen Bekenntnis abgeschworen zu haben. Die Prägung der Schaumünze wurde nach den Ausführungen Hoffmeisters (Band 1, S. 106-108) nicht vom Landgrafen selbst, sondern von dessen Anhängern veranlaßt. (The reverse inscription: "BESS·LAND·V·LVD·V·LORN·ALS·EN FALSCH·AID·GESCHWORN (star)" is intended to reflect a saying by Landgrave Philip, which gives the thaler its name "Spruchtaler." The saying refers to Philip's release from the emperor's imprisonment without having renounced his Reformation faith. According to Hoffmeister (Volume 1, pp. 106-108), the minting of the commemorative coin was not initiated by the Landgrave himself, but by his followers.)"
Philip was one of the leaders of the Protestant Reformation in Luther's day but his bigamous marriage gravely impaired his moral authority. On his death, his sons partitioned the realm into Hesse-Kassel, Hesse-Marburg, Hesse-Rheinfels, and Hesse-Darmstadt, condemning it to future insignificance.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specifications: silver, this specimen 28,46 g.
Catalog reference: KM MB65, Dav-9271; Schütz 448; Müller 1724; Slg. Mercator (Auktion Künker 220) 7507.
- Davenport, John S., German Talers, 1500-1600, Frankfurt am Main, Numismatischer Verlag P. N. Schulten, 1979.
- 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 425: Gold coins from the Medieval and Modern Times, from the Mohr family collection, e.g. | Silver coins, e.g. highlights of medallic art | German coins after 1871, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2025.
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