5 Ducats - George William

George William's reign over Brandenburg-Prussia was defined almost entirely by his catastrophic indecision during the Thirty Years' War. He attempted neutrality while Swedish and Imperial armies alternately occupied, plundered, and burned his territories — Berlin itself was garrisoned by Swedish troops from 1631. This five-ducat piece was struck in the thick of that occupation, likely from gold reserves the Elector was desperately trying to preserve or deploy diplomatically rather than see looted.

Multi-ducat presentation strikes of this period frequently served as gifts to military commanders or foreign envoys. The Bahrfeldt reference places this among a small documented group.