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1 Thaler - George William
| Issuer | Brandenburg-Prussia, State of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1631-1633 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | Large, elaborately quartered heraldic achievement displaying the numerous territorial arms of Brandenburg-Prussia, surmounted by an ornate crowned helmet with mantling. The multi-quartered shield incorporates the arms of Brandenburg (an eagle), Prussia (an eagle), Cleves (a shield with chevrons), Jülich (a lion), Berg (a lion), and other constituent territories, with a central escutcheon. The mint master's initials LM and the date appear within the legend, which reads P. IV. CL. M. P. & DV. S. R. I. ARC. CAM. ET. ELECT., referencing the elector's titles as Prince of four territories, Duke, and Arch-Chamberlain of the Holy Roman Empire. A beaded inner border encircles the composition. |
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| Mint | Berlin Mint |
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| Additional information |
George William's thalers of 1631–33 were struck at the worst possible moment for Brandenburg-Prussia. The Thirty Years' War had turned the Electorate into a battlefield corridor, with Swedish and Imperial armies alternately occupying and plundering its territories. George William himself fled Berlin for Königsberg in 1637, but even before that retreat, his mints were operating under severe material and political strain — silver supply was erratic, and the Elector's chronic indecision about which belligerent to support left him with enemies on both sides.
KM#141.1 is distinguished from the closely related .2 variety by the arrangement of the orb and scepter in the arms.