1/2 Thaler - Anthony Günter Death

Anthony Günter of Oldenburg died in 1667 after a reign of over six decades — one of the longest of any German territorial lord in the seventeenth century. His death effectively ended Oldenburg's independence as a county; lacking legitimate male heirs, the territory passed to Denmark under Frederick III through prior dynastic agreement, ending the Oldenburg comital line that had governed since the medieval period. Memorial issues like this half thaler were a standard funerary coinage practice in the German states, struck to mark the passing of the ruler and distributed at court.