Prussia 1718-HFH thaler Dav-2571

Künker sale 293, lot 329

This specimen was lot 329 in Künker sale 293 (Osnabrück, Germany, July 2017), where it sold for €3,800 (about US$5,122 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"PREUSSEN, KÖNIGREICH Friedrich Wilhelm I. der Soldatenkönig, 1713-1740. Reichstaler 1718, HFH, Berlin, für das Herzogtum Geldern. RR Feine Tönung, kl. Schrötlingsfehler, fast vorzüglich. Das Münzmeisterzeichen des vorliegenden Reichstalers läßt eigentlich darauf schließen, daß dieses Stück in Magdeburg geprägt worden ist. Von Schrötter schreibt jedoch, daß Heinrich Friedrich Halter die Münzen für das Herzogtum Geldern in Berlin gemünzt hat. (Germany, kingdom of Prussia, Frederick William I, the Soldier King, 1713-40, thaler of 1718, Berlin mint, for the duchy of Geldern. Rare, fine toning, light hairlines, about extremely fine. The coin-master's mark shown on the present thaler suggests that this piece was coined in Magdeburg. Von Schrotter, however, writes that Heinrich Friedrich Halter minted them in Berlin.)"

This rare one year type which was accompanied by a 1/16 thaler, a 1/8 thaler, a 1/4 thaler, and a 1/2 thaler a year later, was the series was struck for Prussian Gelderland, a small province on the border with the Netherlands.

After the death of Charles II of Spain in 1700, the War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714) broke out. Charles left the Spanish dominions to Philip of Anjou in his will in the hope that they would not be partitioned. In this, he was backed by Philip's grandfather, Louis XIV, king of France. The Grand Alliance (League of Augsburg) was an anti-French alliance made in 1689 and was made up of the Dutch Republic, England, and Austria which disbanded after the Nine Years war in 1697. This alliance was reformed prior to the War of Spanish Succession by the Treaty of the Hague in 1701 and included the same parties. All feared French dominance in Europe. In 1702, Prussia joined. At the signing of the Treaty of Utrecht, Prussia was rewarded with a section of Upper Guelders that was previously part of the Spanish Netherlands.

Ruling Authorities

Friedrich Wilhelm I of Prussia, Duke of Prussian Gelderland from 1713-1740.

Obverse

Obverse description: Bust facing right with engraver's initial at end of arm.
Obverse inscription: FRID·WILH·D:G·REX·BOR·EL·BR·DVX·GELDERIAE· / L
Obverse inscription unabridged: Fridericus Wilhelmus Dei Gratia Rex Borussiae Elector Brandenburgensis Dux Gelderiae / Lüders
Obverse inscription translated: Friedrich Wilhelm, by the Grace of God, King of Prussia, Elector of Brandenburg, Duke of Gelders / Lüders

Reverse

Reverse description: Crowned four-fold shield with inescutcheon (Hohenzollern scepter top left; County of Horne Horn top right; Neuchâtel three chevrons bottom left; Gueldrian opposing lions right; Prussian eagle as inestucheon middle), crown divides date above and shield divides mint master's initials at the middle.
Reverse inscription: 1718 / H·F· H·
Reverse inscription unabridged: 1718 / Heinrich Friedrich Halter

Mintmarks/Mint: Berlin.

Mint Official Marks/Initials/Names: L = Christian Friedrich Lüders, engraver at Berlin from 1702-1742; HFH = Heinrich Friedrich Halter, mint master at Magdeburg from 1698-1721 and Berlin from 1718-1719.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 0.868 fine silver.

Catalog reference: Dav-2571, v. Schr. 548, KM-173 (Prussia), KM-200 (Prussian Gelderland)

Source:

Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
Davenport, John S., German Talers, 1700-1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1965.
^[1]Ponterio, Richard, The January 2015 NYINC Auction: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, Featuring the John W. Adams and Ray Czabor Collections, Irvine, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2014.

Link to:

Prussia 1718-HFH thaler Dav-2571

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