Johann Ernst von Thun und Hohenstein held the Salzburg archbishopric from 1687 to 1709, a tenure marked by aggressive building patronage — he commissioned Fischer von Erlach for several major projects — and by the fiscal pressures that came with it. Small silver fractions like this 2 Kreuzer bore much of the burden of everyday exchange in the principality, circulating through markets and toll points across a territory that controlled the critical Alpine passes between Bavaria and Italy. The extended date range of this type reflects continuous demand rather than any single minting event.
Johann Ernst von Thun und Hohenstein held the Salzburg archbishopric from 1687 to 1709, a tenure marked by aggressive building patronage — he commissioned Fischer von Erlach for several major projects — and by the fiscal pressures that came with it. Small silver fractions like this 2 Kreuzer bore much of the burden of everyday exchange in the principality, circulating through markets and toll points across a territory that controlled the critical Alpine passes between Bavaria and Italy. The extended date range of this type reflects continuous demand rather than any single minting event.