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24 Kreuzers - Henry Wenceslaus and Charles Frederick I
| Issuer | Duchy of Münsterberg-Oels (Silesia) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1621-1622 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Hammered |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A crowned shield bearing a four-fold coat of arms with a central escutcheon of Münsterberg prominently displayed. The numeral 24 appears below the shield in the lower margin, indicating the denomination. The mintmaster's initials H T are placed in the lower field flanking the shield. A Latin legend encircling the shield gives the abbreviated ducal titles of Silesia, Münsterberg, Oels, and Glatz. |
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| Reverse lettering | DVC. SIL. MONS. ET. OLS. CO. GLA. 24 H T |
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| Additional information |
Issued during the Kipper- und Wipperzeit — the catastrophic currency debasement crisis that swept the Holy Roman Empire between roughly 1619 and 1623 — these 24 Kreuzer pieces were among the debased multiples that flooded Silesia and neighboring territories as mints raced to profit from melting good coin and reissuing lighter, baser silver. Münsterberg-Oels, a small Silesian duchy under the joint rule of Henry Wenceslaus and Charles Frederick I, was hardly unique in this behavior; virtually every petty authority with minting rights exploited the chaos.
The Kipper crisis coincided directly with the opening years of the Thirty Years' War, and the monetary collapse it produced was severe enough to trigger bread riots across German-speaking lands.