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1/2 Thaler - Ferdinand I Joachimsthal
| Issuer | Kingdom of Bohemia |
|---|---|
| Year | 1535-1542 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Reverse description | Displayed double-headed imperial eagle with a central shield bearing the quartered arms of Austria and Hungary, set within a beaded inner circle. The eagle's wings are spread wide and the heads are shown facing outward in the heraldic fashion typical of Habsburg coinage of the period. The surrounding legend, in Gothic-influenced Roman capitals, reads INFANS HISPANIARVM ARCHIDVX AVSTRI, identifying Ferdinand I as Infante of Spain and Archduke of Austria. Mintmaster's initials appear within the field. |
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| Mint | Joachimsthal Mint (Sankt Joachimsthal, Bohemia) |
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| Additional information |
The Joachimsthal mint in northwestern Bohemia was the direct origin of the word "dollar" — Joachimsthaler, shortened to Thaler, then corrupted through Dutch into the English term. Ferdinand I inherited the Bohemian crown in 1526 following the death of Louis II at Mohács, and the Schlick family's famous Joachimsthal operation came under Habsburg administrative pressure almost immediately, formally reverting to royal control in 1528.
Half-Thaler denominations from this mint and period are considerably scarcer than the full Thaler, which dominated regional trade. Most surviving examples show honest circulation wear — these were working coins in active commerce across central Europe's busiest silver corridor.