Prussia 1826-D groschen
This specimen was lot 4075 in Künker sale 353 (Osnabrück, Germany, September 2021), where it sold for €90 (about US$125 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"BRANDENBURG-PREUSSEN, PREUSSEN, KÖNIGREICH, Friedrich Wilhelm III. 1797-1840. Silbergroschen 1826, D. Fast vorzüglich. Erworben 1969. (Germany, kingdom of Prussia, Frederick William III, 1797-1840, silver groschen of 1826. About extremely fine.)"
In 1821, the regime introduced a monetary reform, with one thaler = 30 groschen and one groschen = 12 pfennig. The old provincial coinage was abolished along with the medieval system where coins varied in value in different parts of the realm. New or reformed denominations were struck including one pfennig, two pfennig, three pfennig, four pfennig, half silbergroschen and one silbergroschen (shown here). The sixth thaler was added in 1822 and the half and double friedrichs d'or resumed in 1825. This system obtained until German unification in 1871. We don't know why authorities didn't go all the way and introduce a decimal system but neither did any other German state in this period.
Recorded mintage: unknown but a common date.
Specification: 2.19 g, 0.222 fine silver, this specimen 2.24 g.
Catalog reference: KM 410, AKS 27; J. 56; Olding 200.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Künker Auktion 353: Die Sammlung Axel Tesmer, Teil 2: Prägungen der Könige von Preussen von der Kroning 1701 bis zum Ende der Monarchie. Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2021.
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