Wismar's thaler restrikes of the 1970s were civic commemorative pieces, not official monetary issues, produced to satisfy collector demand during a period when East German cultural institutions were actively mining regional numismatic heritage for hard currency revenue. Wismar itself had been a Swedish possession from 1648 until 1803, and the original thalers these restrikes reference date to that prolonged Swedish administrative period. The .9999 fineness is atypically high for a thaler-format piece and reflects modern refinery practice rather than any historical standard.
Wismar's thaler restrikes of the 1970s were civic commemorative pieces, not official monetary issues, produced to satisfy collector demand during a period when East German cultural institutions were actively mining regional numismatic heritage for hard currency revenue. Wismar itself had been a Swedish possession from 1648 until 1803, and the original thalers these restrikes reference date to that prolonged Swedish administrative period. The .9999 fineness is atypically high for a thaler-format piece and reflects modern refinery practice rather than any historical standard.