Silver 4-thalers of Christian Ludwig, duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

Brunswick, Germany, AD 1662

Celebrating the silver mines of Brunswick

In the seventeenth century the dukes of Brunswick, Germany, celebrated the source of much of their wealth by producing large multiple thalers, with mining scenes depicted on them. The most splendid come from the ducal line of Brunswick-Lüneburg. This piece is a 4-thaler multiple of Christian Ludwig of 1662.

Multiple thalers of different weights would be struck from the same dies, with the appropriate denomination mark (4 in this case) punched in afterwards. The front of the coin shows the monogram of the duke who issued the coin, surrounded by coats of arms indicating his descent. On the back the symbol of the dynasty, the white horse of Brunswick, is crowned by the hand of God, while below is an detailed and intricate mining scene, showing the miners working below ground level, as well as activity on the surface.

G. Duve, Geschichte der Braunschweig-Lü (Johannesburg, 1966)

J. Williams (ed.), Money: a history (London, The British Museum Press, 1997)

J.S. Davenport, Oversize multiple talers of th (Galesburg, Illinois, 1956)

B.J. Cook, 'Showpieces: medallic coins in early modern Europe', The Medal-4, 26 (1995)