Ferdinand I,   roman king since 1531, emperor 1556-1564
- brother of Emperor Charles V   and   founder of the Austrian line of Habsburg -

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, 1522-1526/9, 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.

6 Kreuzer n. d. (after 1524), Hall.   Ø 24mm, 2,8g.   Enz.9, Markl 1642, M.T.89
Obv.: +FERDINANdus·PRINCeps·ET·INFans·HISPaniarum  -  half-length figure holding sceptre and hilt.
Rev.:  ARCHI - Dux·AVSTrie - COMITatus - TIROL  -  Cross between arms of Austria, Castile, Burgundy and Tyrol.
"Ferdinand, prince and infante of Spain - archduke of Austria and duke of Burgundy. County of Tyrol"
Here Ferdinand does not use the title of a count (comes) of Tyrol. Since 1529 COMES replaces COMIT in the legend.

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.

Pfundner (12 Kreuzer), 1524, Vienna.   Ø 28mm, 5,82g.   Schulten 4096, Markl 68
Obv.:   +FERDINANDus·PRINCeps·ET·INFANS·HISPANiarum    "Spanish ruler and infante (prince)"
Ferdinand with an archduke's headdress
Rev.:   +ARCHIDVX·AVSTRIE·DVX·BVRGVNDIE    "archduke of Austria and duke of Burgundy"
quarterly arms of origin: (Austria, 2x Burgundy, Brabant with escutcheons of Flanders and Tyrol) | (Castile, León,
Aragón, both Sicilies, Granada)

As King of Hungary and Bohemia since 1527.

His coins include the new royal titles in the legend.

Pfundner, 1527, Vienna.   Ø 28mm, 5,57g.   Schulten 4109, Markl 84
Obv.:   +FERDINANDus·Dei·Gratia·HVNGarie·BOEmie·REX·INFans  -  Ferdinand with an archduke's headdress
Rev.:   +HISPAniarum·ARCHIDux·AVSTRIE·DVX·BVRGVndie  -  quadripartite arms (Hungary|Bohemia), above the paternal arms (Austria [band], Old-Burgundy, Castile|León - Aragón, both Sicilies, New-Burgundy [fleur-de-lis], Brabant and Granada [pomegranate]), centre shield (Tyrol|Flanders). On top the date 15Z7.

The title extends over both sides and 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.) Rev.:   HISPaniarum.ARCHIDUx·AVSTrie·DVX·BVRundie·SiLEsiae·MARchio·Moraviae

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".

In 1547 Ferdinand's beloved wife dies giving birth to their 15th child. Since then Ferdinand wears a beard as a sign of morning. The image of a beardless youth changes into one of seniority, moustached and bearded. In 1548, the first thaler showing the elder and bearded king turn up in Joachimstal and Kuttenberg.

The arms in the escutcheon of the reverse often disclose the place of mintage. However, this is not the case with the above "Pfundner" from Vienna.

Compare the Reichsguldiner 1551 from Berlin, which was minted in full accordance with the Second Imperial Mint Order. The mandatory design of the revers includes the imperial double eagle, the orb on its breast and the emperor's title in the legend. Ferdinand was allowed to depart from the standards of the Imperial Mint Order - not only in the layout of the thaler's reverse but also in the thaler's weight. His brother Charles V. accorded him the important "Privileg des Quentchens", i.e. Ferdinand was given permission to mint thalers a bit lighter than the mint order actually demanded for thalers minted by the imperial estates. According to the rules of the 2nd Imperial Mint Order, the thaler shown above should have weighed 31,17 g at a fineness of 882 ‰.