Prussia 1871-A thaler Dav-782
This specimen was lot 4158 in Künker sale 353 (Osnabrück, Germany, September 2021), where it sold for €240 (about US$334 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"BRANDENBURG-PREUSSEN, PREUSSEN, KÖNIGREICH, Wilhelm I. 1861-1888. Vereinstaler 1871, A. Fast Stempelglanz. Erworben am 12.l.1984 von Fritz Rudolf Künker, Osnabrück. (Germany, kingdom of Prussia, William I, 1861-88, union thaler of 1871. About uncirculated.)"
This specimen is one of a type struck at the Berlin ("A") and Frankfurt ("C") mints 1865-71. Most dates, including this one, are rare. This bust of Wilhelm, king of Prussia, appears on ½ silbergroschen (KM 484), 1 silbergroschen (KM 485), 2½ silbergroschen (KM 486), 1/6 thaler (KM 487), double thaler (KM 496), ½ krone (gold, KM 493) and krone (gold, KM 492). In 1871, with the successful conclusion of the Franco-Prussian War, Wilhelm assumed the title of Emperor of Germany. The currency was reformed to use pfennig and marks and the taler was dropped, tho it remained legal tender at three mark. The first of the reformed coinage was the twenty mark (1871), followed by the ten mark (1872) and the one mark (1873).
Recorded mintage: 7,600,109.
Specification: 18.52 g, 0.900 fine silver, this specimen 18.49 g.
Catalog reference: KM 494, AKS 99; Dav-782; Kahnt 388; Thun 270; Olding 405.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns and Talers, Since 1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1964.
- [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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