3 Pfennig - Frederick I

Frederick I had crowned himself King in Prussia in 1701 — a careful political maneuver, since "King of Prussia" rather than "King of Prussia" allowed him to sidestep the sovereignty of the Holy Roman Empire over Brandenburg proper. These small billon pieces were among the first coinage issued under the new royal dignity, produced in the immediate years after that coronation. The silver content is barely nominal, reflecting the chronic shortage of bullion that plagued Brandenburg-Prussian minting throughout this period.