Hesse-Cassel 1637 thaler Dav-6765A
This specimen was lot 319 in UBS sale 85 (Zürich, September 2010), where it sold for 650 CHF (about US$742 including buyer's fee). The catalog description[1] noted,
"DEUTSCHLAND, Hessen-Kassel, Landgrafschaft, ab 1803 Kurfürstentum, Wilhelm V. 1627-1637, Taler 1637. Auf seinen Tod. Neun Zeilen Schrift. Rv. Weidenbaum mit Blitz, Wolken, Sturm, Regen und 7 Häusern. Vorzüglich-sehr schön." (Landgraviate of Hesse-Cassel, death thaler of 1637. Obverse: nine lines of text; reverse: a tree and seven houses are blasted by the wrath of God. Extremely Fine to Very Fine)
This rare one-year type was issued on the death of the landgrave William V (r. 1627-37); twelve different thalers are known with this theme, all dated 1635-38. The reverse image is rotated so that the tree and buildings appear to be growing out of the side of a hill but surely such details would not have stayed God's wrath. Hesse-Cassel was promoted to an Electorate in 1803 and was annexed by Prussia in 1866.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver, this specimen 28,51 g.
Catalog reference: Schütz 990, Dav-6765A, KM 177
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- Davenport, John S., German Secular Talers, 1600-1700, Frankfurt: Numismatischer Verlag, 1976.
- [1]UBS Auction 85: Gold and Silver Coins, Zürich: UBS AG, 2010.
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