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1 Pfennig - Ferdinand Maria
| Issuer | Bavaria, Electorate of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1653-1675 |
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| Currency | Thaler (1623-1752) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Central field features the ornately shaped Wittelsbach heraldic shield displaying the characteristic lozengy (fusily) pattern of Bavaria, with the shield flanked by the date numerals split to either side. The letter 'C' appears above the shield within the field, likely serving as a mint or privy mark. The entire design is enclosed within a beaded border typical of small hammered coinage of the period. |
|---|---|
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Ferdinand Maria's long reign saw Bavaria recovering from the devastation of the Thirty Years' War, which had ended only in 1648 — just five years before this series began. The electorate had been economically gutted, and small silver pfennigs like this one were critical infrastructure for rebuilding local trade. Ferdinand Maria, notably pacifist and heavily influenced by his wife Henriette Adelaide of Savoy, avoided further military entanglements, which gave Bavarian minting operations unusual continuity across the full two-decade span of this issue.
The 11mm diameter placed these among the smallest silver coins in circulation, prone to loss and rarely saved. Survivors in any condition are underrepresented relative to contemporaneous larger denominations.