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1 Thaler Sede Vacante
| Issuer | Cathedral Chapter of Cologne |
|---|---|
| Year | 1761 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Reverse description | Central field presents an Adoration of the Magi scene in high-relief Baroque style, depicting the Virgin Mary seated at centre holding the Christ Child, attended by the three Magi — Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar — who kneel in homage and present their offerings. A radiate star appears above the group, referencing the Star of Bethlehem. Three crowns are shown at the base of the inner circle as a symbol of the Three Kings, who serve as patron saints of Cologne Cathedral. The surrounding legend names the three Magi: CASPAR MELCHIOR BALTHASAR, with the date 1761 incorporated into the inscription. |
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| Reverse lettering | CASPAR MELCHIOR BALTHASAR 1761 |
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| Additional information |
Struck to mark the vacancy of the Archbishopric of Cologne following the death of Clemens August of Bavaria in February 1761, this thaler was issued under the authority of the Cathedral Chapter during the interregnum period before a successor could be elected. Sede Vacante issues were a deliberate assertion of the Chapter's temporal and spiritual authority — the right to strike coinage during a vacancy was a privilege jealously guarded and not universally held across the ecclesiastical principalities of the Holy Roman Empire.
Clemens August had held the see for over four decades. His successor, Maximilian Friedrich von Königsegg-Rothenfels, was not elected until April of that same year, leaving a narrow window in which these pieces were produced.