Catalog
3 Argenteus - Aureus Magnus Cologne
| Issuer | Germany, Federal Republic of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1965 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 45 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | 1965 COLONIA |
| Reverse description | An elaborate six-armed decorative cross with flaring, stylized terminals occupies the central field, each arm adorned with foliate and fleur-de-lis motifs. The Roman numeral III, denoting the denomination, appears within an ornate cartouche at the center of the cross. Small floral rosette stops punctuate the field at the lower left and lower right. The fineness designation 1000 is inscribed at the base of the cross. The surrounding legend PRO PROSPERITATE MUNDI arcs along the upper rim, and ARGENTEUS is inscribed along the lower rim, together expressing the piece's humanistic motto and currency unit. |
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| Additional information |
The "Argenteus Aureus Magnus Cologne" designation points to a private or semi-official medal issue rather than a state-authorized currency piece — the X# prefix in Krause's catalog system identifies it as such, placed outside the regular national coinage sequence. These issues emerged in postwar West Germany through a mix of municipal pride, numismatic club promotion, and the recovering prestige of historic minting cities. Cologne's claim to that prestige is legitimate: the city operated one of the most important Roman mints on the Rhine frontier.
At 45g of .999 silver, the piece was struck well above standard coin weight, suggesting commemorative intent from the outset.