2 Ducats - Maximilian II Emanuel Birth of Prince Charles Albert, Silver pattern

Max Emanuel was in the Spanish Netherlands serving as Governor-General when his son Charles Albert was born in 1697 — the same year Louis XIV's wars were grinding toward the Peace of Ryswick. A silver striking of what was nominally a gold ducat denomination was not intended for circulation; pattern pieces in contrasting metals were produced for presentation and court record, allowing the Elector to distribute commemorative pieces without the full cost of gold. Charles Albert would eventually become Elector himself and, briefly, Holy Roman Emperor as Charles VII from 1742 to 1745 — the only non-Habsburg to hold the title in over three centuries.