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Ferdinand I, roman king since 1531, emperor 1556-1564
- brother of Emperor Charles V and founder of the Austrian line of Habsburg -
on coins Ferdinand I was born in 1503 in Spain and educated at the court of his grandfather Fernando de Aragón in the Spanish tradition. However, he had to leave Spain in 1517 when his brother Charles V arrived with his Dutch court to become King of Spain. In 1521/22 Charles V ceded him Austria, Styria, Carinthia and Craina, the Tyrol, western Austria and the Habsburg-occupied Württemberg. Ferdinand became King of Bohemia and Hungary, following his brother-in-law Louis II, who died fighting the Turks (Battle of Mohács 1526). Ferdinand united Austria, Bohemia and Hungary, which helped to shield Europe from the Turks. In 1531 Ferdinand was elected Roman King and thus the Emperor's governor and successor. The two brothers were temporarily alienated when Charles V tried to make his son Philip successor to the Empire.
Ferdinand was highly respected even by his political and protestant antagonists because he sought to mediate between the confessions. In 1552 he acted against the Emperor's wishes when he effected the Treaty of Passau together with Maurice of Saxony, thus preparing for the Augsburg Religious Peace of 1555. Charles V was disappointed by these events. He abdicated in 1556 and Ferdinand was crowned emperor in 1558. In Austria, Ferdinand encouraged a centralized administration and favoured the counter-reformation. Both Charles V and Ferdinand tried to standardize the minting rules for the empire in three monetary ordinances (1524-59). Ferdinand ruled countries rich in silver resources. From the count of Schlick, he took over mines as well as the mint in Joachimstal, where the "Joachimsthaler" originated. He tried to standardize the varying monetary systems in his countries and had thalers minted in Austria (Hall, Klagenfurt, Linz, Graz, Vienna), in Bohemia (Joachimstal, Kuttenberg, Prague), in Hungary (Kremnitz), in Silesia (Breslau) and in Alsace (Thann). Ferdinand encouraged efforts to design a roller mint machine which could print the design for obverse and reverse simultaneously onto metal strips. A few years after his death, the mint in Hall built such a machine that used the technique successfully for mass production. As administrator of the county of Tyrol, 1522-1556/9, afterwards as count of Tyrol.
The Tyrol silver production had been pledged for the expenses of Charles V election as emperor. To restart minting in Hall in 1523, Ferdinand had to buy the necessary amount of silver which he later paid with the minted coins. Ferdinand was the emperor's governor in Tyrol until 1526 and did not become Count of Tyrol officially until 1529.
As archduke of Austria 1521-1526.
Ferdinand was "Infante of Spain, Archduke (of Austria) and Duke of Burgundy" from birth. Although these titles were not linked to any rights or offices, Ferdinand did not give them up, even after becoming emperor.
As King of Hungary and Bohemia since 1527.
His coins include the new royal titles in the legend.
The legend means :
"Ferdinand, by the grace of God king of Hungary and Bohemia, prince of Spain, archduke of Austra, duke of Burgundy". 
Thaler 1530, Joachimstal. Ø 40mm, 28,8g, 894 fine. Diet.109; Markl 662; Voglh.49/5; Dav.8044 (Schlick's mine and mint at Joachimstal was taken over by Ferdinand in 1528) Obv.: FERDINANdus·D·G·BOEM·HVNG·DALmatiae·CROAtiae·REX·INFAns (mm.) young crowned and beardless half-length figure in armour holding sceptre and hilt, the order of the Golden Fleece on the breast Rev.: HISPaniarum.ARCHIDUx·AVSTrie·DVX·BVRundie·SiLEsiae·MARchio·Moraviae crowned quadripartite shield (Bohemia|Hungary) with escutcheon (Austria|Castile) in between date 15 - 30 The title starts with Bohemia, where the mint is situated: "Ferdinand, by the grace of God king of Bohemia, Hungary, Dalmatia & Croatia, prince of Spain, archduke of Austria, duke of Burgundy & Silesia, margrave of Moravia".
As elected and crowned roman king (ROMANORUM REX) since 1531.
The coin reverse now carries the royal title and the royal eagle (single headed und uncrowned).
The mintage of the new denomination Groschen (3 Kreuzer) began in 1534 in Vienna and Linz.
The legend on the revers incorporates the four end bits of a cross, which gave to the first "Kreuzer"
from the Tyrol their popular name.
Rev.: Eagle with the arms of Austria upon the Enns (Upper Austria), orb and declared value 3, according to the imperial mint order of 1551.
As Roman Emperor (ROMANORUM IMPERATOR) since 1558.
With his rise in 1558, the imperial double-eagle replaces the single headed royal eagle on the revers.
Also, an imperial crown is added to the double-eagle. 
Guldentaler (60 Kreuzer) 1560, Hall. Ø 38mm, 931 fine, 24,55g. M.T.138 var; Voglh.57; Dav:33 minted in some accordance with the 3rd Imperial Mint Order (Augsburg 1559) Obv.: +FERDinandus:Dei:Gratia·ROmanorum·IMPerator·Semper·AVGustus·GER·HVNG·BOE·REX "Ferdinand, Roman emperor by the grace of God, ever augmentor of the empire, German, Hungarian & Bohemian king" half-length figure with emperor's crown (bowed crown), orb and declared value on the hand Rev.: +INFans·HISpaniarum·ARCHidux·AVSTrie·Dux·BVRundie·COMes·TIRolis·1560 "prince of Spain, archduke of Austria, duke of Burgundy, count of the Tyrol" Posthumous roller-press coinage
(During Ferdinand's life time, all coins were hammered.)
Thaler n. d. (posthum 1573-6), Hall. Ø 41mm 29g Voglh.39/2 , M.T.217v , Dav.8030A Obv.: ¤ FERD·Dei·Gratia·ROmanorum·HVNGArieque·BOhemie·DALmatie·CROAtie·REX "Ferdinand, by the grace of God King of the Holy Roman Empire and King of Hungary, Bohemia, Dalmatia, Croatia"
Rev.: ¤ INFans:HISpaniarum:ARCHIDVX:AVSTRIE·DVX·BVRGundie
Crowned effigy with long hair, moustache, beard, decorated armour, necklace without Golden Fleece; the left hand holds the sceptre, the right hand grips a sword. "Infante of Spain, Archduke of Austria, Duke of Burgundy"
King's eagle with shield of Castile and Austria
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