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4 Thalers - Ernest August I

Issuer Osnabrück, Bishopric of
Year 1662
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Weight 115.97 g
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Reverse description A crossed sword and episcopal crozier, tied at the intersection with a ribbon bow, are prominently displayed in the upper field, symbolizing the union of temporal and spiritual authority. Below, occupying the lower half of the coin, is a detailed panoramic view of the city of Osnabrück, rendered with church spires, fortifications, towers, and townhouses. The circumferential Latin legend IVNGVNTVR FELICITER (They are joined happily) arcs along the upper border, referencing the union of the bishopric's dual powers.
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Reverse lettering IVNGVNTVR FELICITER
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Additional information

Ernest August served as Bishop of Osnabrück from 1661 under the terms of the Peace of Westphalia, which had established an unusual confessional alternation for the see — bishops would rotate between Catholic and Protestant appointments in perpetuity. He was the Protestant incumbent, a younger son of the Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and would later become the first Elector of Hanover in 1692. This 4-thaler piece, struck just one year into his Osnabrück tenure, belongs to a class of large-format silver multiples produced less for circulation than for ceremonial presentation and diplomatic gift-giving.

At 85mm across, surviving examples frequently show adjustment marks from the blank preparation stage.

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