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2 Thalers - John Philip I, Frederick VIII, John William IV, and Frederick William II
| Issuer | Saxe-Altenburg, Duchy of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1622-1625 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 2 Thalers |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | D G IOH PHIL FRID IOH WILH ET FR WIL FRAT 16 Z4 |
| Reverse description | Three half-length armored effigies of the co-ruling brothers Friedrich VIII, Johann Wilhelm IV, and Friedrich Wilhelm II, arranged with heraldic arms displayed on the sides and at top and bottom of the composition. The figures are depicted in elaborate period armor and dress, reflecting the joint sovereignty of the duchy. A continuous Latin legend encircles the design within a beaded border, identifying the ducal titles. |
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| Additional information |
The four-ruler obverse of this issue reflects the joint governance structure of Saxe-Altenburg following the 1603 partition of Ernestine Saxony, which fractured ducal authority among brothers ruling in uneasy confederation. The years 1622–1625 fell squarely within the early devastation of the Thirty Years' War, when silver coinage of substantial weight was being hoarded, melted, or exported across the Empire as the Kipper und Wipper currency crisis debased smaller denominations beyond practical use. Heavy double thalers paradoxically survived in better numbers than contemporary minor coinage precisely because holders refused to spend them.
Frederick William II died in 1625, effectively ending this specific four-prince configuration.