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1 Pfennig - Günther XLII, Anton Heinrich, Johann Günther II and Cristian Günther I
| Issuer | Schwarzburg-Sondershausen (German States) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1621-1622 |
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| Value | 1 Pfennig (1/252) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Central field displays a large stylized letter 'S', representing the initial of Schwarzburg (Sondershausen), rendered in bold relief characteristic of early seventeenth-century hammered coinage. The letter is flanked by small rosette or mullet ornaments acting as separators within the legend. The legend reads '* S *' with star-shaped or rosette stops. The flan is irregular and slightly uneven, consistent with hand-hammered production. A beaded inner border runs along the rim on the right side, visible on the coin. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | * I * PFEN NING . * . |
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| Additional information |
Schwarzburg-Sondershausen's four-count joint rule was an administrative peculiarity of the Holy Roman Empire's inheritance laws, which routinely fractured territories among male heirs rather than consolidating them. This pfennig was struck during the Kipper- und Wipperzeit — the catastrophic currency debasement crisis of 1619–1623, when dozens of petty German states raced to mint debased coinage, collect seigniorage, and pass the losses downstream. Small copper issues like this one were part of that broader monetary chaos, even if copper itself was less susceptible to the silver manipulations driving the crisis.