Catalog
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| Issuer | Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Principality of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1620 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round |
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| Obverse description | Central helmeted coat of arms of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, displaying the quartered arms of the principality with a crowned helmet above. Two wild men (Wildmen) serve as supporters flanking the shield on either side. The legend SOLI. DEO. GLORIA. ('Glory to God alone') encircles the design in Latin script, reading around the periphery of the flan. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | SOLI. DEO. GLORIA. |
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| Additional information |
Issued at the height of the Kipper- und Wipperzeit — the catastrophic currency debasement crisis that swept the German states between roughly 1619 and 1623 — this piece originates from one of the more prolific offenders. Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel under Frederick Ulrich debased aggressively alongside its neighbors, exploiting the chaos of early Thirty Years' War financing. Mints across the region were effectively running competitive debasement operations, shaving silver content while maintaining face value, flooding circulation with underweight small denomination coins.
The Welter variety designation here suggests minor die differences within a large and hastily produced run. These were not precision issues.