5 Thaler

Saxon treasury notes of this period occupied an awkward transitional position: Saxony had its own monetary system anchored to the Thaler, but was simultaneously being drawn into the North German Confederation's orbit following Prussia's decisive victory over Austria in 1866 — a war in which Saxony fought on the losing side. This note was issued just one year after that defeat, when Saxon fiscal autonomy was already visibly shrinking.

Giesecke & Devrient, then still establishing itself as the dominant German security printer, produced this series at their Leipzig facility — a fortunate geographical coincidence, given that Leipzig was itself a Saxon city and the firm's home base.

The Thaler-denominated series was withdrawn following German monetary unification and the adoption of the Mark in 1871–1873.