The First Dated Taler

Triton XIV, Lot: 1197. Estimate $3000. Sold for $5200. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

AUSTRIA, Holy Roman Empire. Sigismund. Archduke, 1446-1490. AR Guldiner (41mm, 31.75 g, 7h). Hall mint; Bernhard Behaim, mintmaster. Dated 1486. · SIGISMVnDVS : (rosette) : · ARChIDVX · AVSTRIЄ ·, crowned and armored full-length figure standing slightly right, head facing, holding scepter in right hand and sword-in-sheath in left; to left, griffin facing, holding shield; crested helmet to right / Armored knight on horseback riding right, holding banner in right hand and reins in left; all within a circle of sixteen coats of arms. Voglhuber 1/IV; Moser & Tursky 64; Levinson IV-49a; Frey 274; Davenport 8087. Good VF, toned, graffiti in reverse field, edge marks from possible prior mounting. Rare.

From the HLT Collection.

Reigning as the Count of Tirol and Further Austria, Sigismund was elevated to the title of archduke in 1477. His importance numismatically, however, was in his radical new monetary policy which introduced the first large size silver coin since ancient times. The Guldiner was the ancestor to many major European coin denominations to follow, especially following the precious metal discoveries in the new world. This reform led to Sigismund earning the nickname of der Münzreiche (rich in coin).