Munster 1633 1/2 thaler
This specimen was lot 506 in Künker Auction 424 (Osnabrück, July 2025), where it sold for €13,000 (about US$18,408 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"DEUTSCHE MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN · MÜNSTER, BISTUM Ferdinand von Bayern, 1612-1650. 1/2 Taler 1633, Münster. FERDIN : ELECT : COL : EPS · MONAST : BAVARI - DV - X Mit Mitra bedecktes und verziertes, vierfeldiges Wappen (Bayern, Pfalz / Pfalz, Bayern) mit Mittelschild von Münster, dahinter Schwert und Krummstab gekreuzt//S · PAVLVS · APOSTOLVS · PA - TRONVS · MONASTE - RI : Der Heilige Paulus steht v. v. mit Schwert und Buch, zu den Seiten die geteilte Jahreszahl 1 - 6 - 33. Von allergrößter Seltenheit. Hübsche Patina, attraktives, sehr schönes Exemplar. Exemplar der Auktion Fritz Rudolf Künker 274, Osnabrück 2016, Nr. 2107. (Germany, bishopric of Münster, Ferdinand of Bavaria, 1612-50, half thaler of 1633, Münster mint. Obverse: mitred and quartered arms of Bavaria and Pfalz with the escutcheon of Münster over crossed crosier and sword; reverse: St. Paul stands with sword and book, dividing the date. Extremely rare, handsome patina, attractive very fine example.)"
This half thaler accompanied a single thaler (Dav-5591), double thaler (Dav-5590) and goldgulden (Fr-1762). The town and the region were thoroughly devastated by the Thirty Years War and never recovered. The bishop succeeded in establishing the Counter-Reformation there and holding the region for the Catholic Church. Ferdinand was also bishop of Hildesheim, Liege and Paderborn and archbishop of Cologne.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 14-14.5 g, silver; this specimen 14,31 g.
Catalog reference: KM 6, Schulze 5.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- [1]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Katalog 424: Münster, Osnabrück, and the Peace of Westphalia | The Fuggers, Leuchtenberg, and Passau | The Collection of a German Manufacturer and History Enthusiast, Part 3, e.g., Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2025.
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