Silver schaumünze of Sigismund III von
Schrattenbach, archbishop of Salzburg
Salzburg, Austria, AD 1766
'First in the Art of Coinage'
Schaumünzen, or 'show-coins', were specially designed
and well-made coins produced in the lands of the Holy Roman Empire
(modern Germany, Austria and neighbouring areas) in the sixteenth
to eighteenth centuries. They were not intended for currency, but
to commemorate some person, event or activity. They were probably
presented to appropriate people during a ceremonial occasion or
visit.
This particular piece is a rare example of a coin made to
celebrate the art and craft of coin making. The design is of
moneyers operating a screw press, the coin-striking machinery of
the period. It also beautifully demonstrates the skill of the
engravers, who were able to produce this design on coins of such
relatively small size. The legend reads ARTIS MONETARIA PREMIUM,
'First in the Art of Coinage', a tribute to the archbishop's
moneyers.
M. Bernhart and K. Roll, Die Münzen und Medaillen des E, vol. II (Munich, 1923)