Contemporaries in the Holy Roman Empire
1/2 Thaler 1537, Kassel. Ø 35 mm, 14,07 g. Müller 1731 (dies Exemplar); Schütz 406.1. Similar to the following. Date in the field on the reverse.
Thaler 1538, Cassel. Ø 40 mm, 28,95 g. Hoffm.4478; Dav.9269. Obv.: PHILIPVS·Dei:Gratia:LANdgravius:HASSiae: (raven) ·Comes:CACEnellenbogio:DIetz:NIDda: Effigy of Philip in armour with baton and gripping a sword with his left hand.
Rev.: SI DEVS - NOBIS - QVIS CO - NT NOS
The raven in the legend stands for mintmaster Gregorig Einkhur. SI DEUS NOBIS QUIS CONTra NOS = If God is with us who could be against us?
crowned double tailed hessian lion to the left, date 15-38 in the field, in the legend the shields from Katzenelnbogen (top), Ziegenhain (right), Diez (bottom) and Nidda (left)
Uniface lead medal n. d., unknown artist after a wood model by Ludwig Neufahrer. Ø 57,3 mm. Hoffmeister 4506; Schütz 470; Habich I/2,1313. PHILIPS❀LANDT❀GRAVF❀ZV❀HESSE❀ Bust with feather hat, wide screw collar and necklace to the right.
Stuck silver medal 1535 by C. Welcz and H. Magdeburger. Ø 39,1 mm, 13,84 g. Schütz 401; Habich 2/1,1900. Obv.: +·VON·GOTTES·GNADEN·PHILILIPS·LANDTGRAF·ZV·HESSEN· "By God's grace, Landgrave Philip of Hesse" Portrait almost from the front with a wide plumed hat and folded coat. Below signature +C W+. Rev.: ·MEIN·STERCKE·GLVC·VND·LOB·IST·MEIN·HER·VND:GOT·EXO·15 Winged, naked Fortuna stands to the left on a winged ball, on the sides of which the divided date ·I·5· - 35·; she holds a wheel of fortune in front of her, the rim of which is formed by three naked children; in the background cityscape.
Taler 1542, Goslar, "1st Schmalkaldic Bundestaler". Ø 40 mm, Schütz 415; Dav.9737. Hessian side: PARCER - E:SVBI - E - CTIS.ET - DEBELL - ARE: - SVP - ER - BOS distributed over two writing circles: PARCERE SVBIECTIS ET DEBELLARE SVPERBOS "Spare the humble and crush the proud." (Virgil, Aeneis) Armored image of Philip the Magnanimous, in the right command staff, the left on the sword hilt. In the field around the head: 4-Z | PH - LA G (date | Philips name). Saxon side: IOHANNES FRIDERICVS DVX SAXONIAE BVRGGRAVIVS MAGDEBVRGENSIS but here : IOHAN.ER - IDERIH D - SAC:BVRG: - MADEBV: interrupted by small arms, inner circle : :SOLI: - :DEO: - :VICTO - RIA: "Our victory is from God alone" Portrait of John Frederick, Elector of Saxony, with a short sword and an ermine coat.
Thaler 1543, Goslar. "2nd Schmalkaldic Thaler". Ø 41 mm Schütz 428; Dav.9740. Hessian side: ·PHILIP. - D:G·LANd - Gravius - HASSIaE - C.K.D3N [ Philippus Dei Gratia Landgravius Hassiae Comes Katzenelnbogen Dietz Ziegenhain Nidda ]
Saxon side: IOHANnes·F - REDERICus - Dux·SAC(x)oniae·Burggravius· - MAGDEburgensis·
Legend : Title and name of his possessions interrupted by their arms (lion for Hesse at the top). Field : Effigy of Philip in armour with baton and gripping a sword with his left hand. Date 15 - 43. Legend : His title interrupted by arms (electoral duchy and Saxony at the top).
Field : Effigy of John Frederic the Magnanimous in electoral coat with shouldered electoral sword.
Uniface galvanoplastic museum production of an oval medal n. d. (1547). Model by Master from Philip the Magnanimous. Ø 82x70 mm, 129.43 g. Habich 2191. PHILIPS·LANDTGRAFF·ZVO·HESSEN·G·K - D·Z·N*VON·GOTTES·GNADEN·
Thaler 1552, Cassel, "Spruchtaler". Ø 45 mm Hoffmeister 368; Schütz 448; Dav.9271. Obv.: ·PHILIP·D·G·LANDG·HASSIE·C·K·D·3·N·A·1552 FIER FE ¤ Effigy of Philip in armour as bevor.
Rev.: BESS·LAND·V·LVD·V·LORN·ALS·ENFALSCH·AID·GESCHWORN.¤
in German: "Besser Land und Leut verloren als ein Falscheid geschworen"
"It is better to loose country and people than swear a false oath" Therefore the Thaler is called "Spruchtaler" (talking Thaler). Arms of Hesse (middle), Katzenelnbogen (top left), Nidda (top right), Ziegenhain (bottom left) und Diez, in between: P - SE - D - S (Parcere subjectis et debellare superbos) "To spare the humble and to crush the proud" |