Catalog
1 Goldgulden
| Issuer | Frankfurt, Free imperial city of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1493 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Thaler |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Imperial orb surmounted by a cross, set within a Gothic trefoil quatrefoil frame; the orb symbolises imperial authority and is a characteristic device of Frankfurt goldgulden of this period. A circular Latin legend in uncial lettering surrounds the central design, enclosed by a beaded border. The overall composition reflects the standardised reverse type used on Frankfurt goldgulden throughout the late medieval period. |
| Reverse script | Latin (uncial) |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
Frankfurt's goldgulden coinage of this period was produced under the city's own mint authority, a privilege jealously maintained against repeated Habsburg pressure to consolidate imperial coinage. The 1493 date falls squarely within the reign of Maximilian I, who was actively reorganizing imperial monetary policy — the Reichsmünzordnung would follow within just a few years, and Frankfurt's independent issues were already politically fraught by the time this piece was struck.
The Friedberg 940 attribution places this firmly in a well-documented but genuinely scarce series. Frankfurt goldgulden of the late 15th century rarely appear in quantity; the city's commercial prominence meant these coins circulated hard across the Rhine trade networks.