36 Kreuzer - 1/2 Reichsthaler - Ferdinand I Hall

Ferdinand I authorized this denomination in the mid-1550s as part of his broader effort to rationalize the Habsburg monetary system following the 1551 imperial coinage ordinance, which attempted — with mixed success — to reconcile the proliferating variety of regional silver coinages circulating across the Empire. The Hall mint in Tirol was the natural production center: it sat adjacent to the Schwaz silver mines, then among the most productive in Europe, and had been striking large silver pieces since the 1480s.

The 36 Kreuzer valuation placed this piece at precisely half the Reichsthaler, making it a workable denomination for larger commercial transactions without requiring a full thaler. Markl's tight reference range of 1682–1688 suggests meaningful die variation across even this short two-year window.