Catalog
⅔ Thaler - Alexius Frederick Christian
| Issuer | Anhalt-Bernburg |
|---|---|
| Year | 1799 |
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| Currency | Thaler (1603-1805) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse displays a bold four-line inscription in the central field reading 'XX / EINE FEINE / MARK / 1799', indicating the coin's fineness standard of 20 to the fine Cologne mark, with the date below. Beneath the date appears the mintmaster's initials 'H·S·' in the lower field. The peripheral legend 'ALEXIUS FRIEDRICH CHRISTIAN FURST ZU AN[HALT]' runs around the circumference, separated from the central design by a raised beaded inner border. The lettering is in a clear Roman typeface characteristic of late 18th-century German coinage. |
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| Edge | Reeded |
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| Additional information |
Anhalt-Bernburg's 2/3 Thaler denomination traces its practical origins to the North German convention system, where 2/3 of a Thaler equated to the Gulden — making it a deliberately cross-compatible coin for trade across fragmented German territories. Alexius Frederick Christian ruled this tiny Saale principality from 1796 until its absorption into the Duchy of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym briefly disrupted succession questions in the early 19th century.
By 1799, the 2/3 Thaler format was already in commercial decline across much of the German states, squeezed out by Prussian monetary reforms pushing standardization. Mann#724 records no significant die variety for this emission.