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1 Thaler - Frederick II Speciestaler - Königstaler
| Issuer | Kingdom of Prussia |
|---|---|
| Year | 1755 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round |
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| Reverse description | The Prussian eagle displayed at center, rendered in elaborate Baroque style with spread wings, the monogram FR (Fridericus Rex) on its breast, surmounted by a large royal crown. The eagle is flanked by ornate acanthus scrollwork and foliate decoration filling the field. The date 1755 appears to the upper left of the eagle, flanked by the crown. The circular legend SAC. ROM. IMP. ARCHIC. ET. ELECT. runs around the periphery, proclaiming Frederick's dignity as Arch-Chancellor and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire. |
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| Reverse lettering | SAC. ROM. IMP. ARCHIC. ET. ELECT. |
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| Additional information |
Frederick II authorized this heavy taler in 1750 as part of a broader currency reform intended to stabilize Prussian silver coinage after years of monetary inconsistency. The "Species" designation distinguished it as full-weight bullion-grade silver, explicitly differentiated from the lighter convention thalers circulating elsewhere in the German states. Within five years of this coin's striking, Frederick would debase Prussian coinage dramatically to finance the Seven Years' War — flooding occupied Saxon mints with underweight issues while keeping full-weight pieces like this for international trade settlements.
The 1755 date places it on the precise cusp of that debasement, making pre-war Speciesthalers the last honest silver Prussia produced for nearly a decade.