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1 Pfennig - Frederick August I
| Issuer | Saxony (Albertinian Line), Electorate of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1708-1709 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | The reverse is dominated by the imperial orb (Reichsapfel), a heraldic device consisting of a globe surmounted by a cross finial and encircled by a horizontal band, emblematic of Christian sovereignty over the world. The orb is centrally positioned within a continuous circular legend reading 'MONETA SAXONICA,' identifying the coin as Saxon currency. The legend is evenly spaced around the orb and enclosed within a milled border. The overall design is simple and bold, consistent with the standard Saxon Pfennig type of the early eighteenth century. |
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| Additional information |
Frederick August I — better known outside Saxony as Augustus II of Poland, or simply Augustus the Strong — was simultaneously Elector of Saxony and elected King of Poland from 1697, a dual role that strained Saxon finances considerably. The tiny silver Pfennig issues of 1708–1709 fall squarely within the Great Northern War, during which Swedish forces under Charles XII had occupied Saxony and forced Augustus to renounce the Polish crown by the Treaty of Altranstädt in 1706. He reclaimed it only after Charles XII's catastrophic defeat at Poltava in 1709.
Striking fractional silver during active military occupation and its immediate aftermath was itself a political signal — reasserting mint authority at the earliest opportunity.