2 Kreuzer

Historical Context: Freiburg im Breisgau, a significant city within Further Austria (Vorderösterreich) under Habsburg suzerainty, issued this 2 Kreuzer between 1728 and 1732. While enjoying certain municipal privileges, its minting authority was ultimately tied to the Habsburg administration. This period, following the Treaty of Utrecht, saw relative stability across the Holy Roman Empire, with local mints like Freiburg producing essential small-denomination silver coinage for regional commerce. The Kreuzer was a ubiquitous currency unit in Southern Germany and Austria, reflecting the era's standardized monetary system.

Artistry: The artistry of this 2 Kreuzer aligns with the prevailing early 18th-century German Baroque style, though for a utilitarian small denomination, elaborate ornamentation is minimal. Designs typically feature the city's heraldic cross on the obverse, often crowned, and a reverse displaying the denomination and date, frequently within a cartouche or beneath an imperial double-headed eagle, signifying Habsburg authority. Specific engraver attributions for these common issues from the Freiburg mint are generally unrecorded; the work reflects the competent but largely anonymous craftsmanship of the period's mint masters.

Technical/Grading: For grading, key points include the clarity and completeness of the central devices: the details of the city cross or imperial eagle's feathers and crowns. The legends, often small, must be fully legible, particularly the date. Weak strikes, common on these small silver planchets, frequently result in flatness on the highest relief points, such as the tips of the cross or the eagle's heads. Original mint luster is rare due to circulation and cleaning, but a lack of heavy abrasions or significant planchet flaws (cracks, laminations) will elevate its technical grade.