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1 Guldenthaler - Melchior Zobel of Giebelstadt
| Issuer | Bishopric of Würzburg |
|---|---|
| Year | 1552 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 30.62 g |
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| Obverse description | Full-length facing figure of St. Kilian, patron saint of Würzburg, standing in ecclesiastical vestments and holding his episcopal attributes. The saint stands directly behind a quartered heraldic shield bearing the arms of the bishopric, which divides the initials S and K to either side. The date of issue appears flanking the shield within the field. A Latin legend runs along the outer periphery of the coin. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Crowned double-headed imperial eagle displayed, with both heads facing outward beneath a single imperial crown surmounting the composition. An orb on the breast of the eagle bears the value numeral '72', indicating the coin's tariff in kreuzer. The spread wings are rendered in fine detail with feathers clearly delineated, and the eagle occupies the full field. A circular Latin legend surrounds the eagle, referencing Emperor Charles V and his imperial decree authorizing the coinage. |
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| Additional information |
Melchior Zobel von Giebelstadt's tenure as Prince-Bishop of Würzburg ended violently in May 1558 when he was shot in the street by Wilhelm von Grumbach — a Franconian knight whose grievances over confiscated estates had festered for years. The murder triggered a prolonged imperial feud that ultimately required the intervention of the Duke of Saxony to resolve. Coins from his episcopate are correspondingly scarce.
This Guldenthaler was struck at a moment when the Bishopric was navigating the acute pressures of the Reformation, with Protestant influence pushing hard into Franconia from multiple directions.