Envoy’s Token

Sale: Triton X, Lot: 1028. Estimate $2500.  Closing Date: Monday, 8 January 2007.  Sold For $3500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

GERMANY, Münster (Stadt). AR Double Taler (56.67 g, 6h). Engelbert Ketteler, mintmaster. Dated 1534. A 17th century restrike. • WE • NICHT • GEBORE • IS • VTHDE • WAI • VN • GEIS • MAC • NICH, (rosette) / DAT (rosette) WOR / T • IS • FLEISCH / GEWO • RDEN / VN • WANET / • IN • V • NS in six lines; monogram (mintmaster) below / (crossed swords) IN GAEN • INT • RIKE • GADES • EIN • KONINCK VP . RE . O • A • in outer row; (star) EIN • GODT • EIN • GELOVE • EIN • DOEPE in inner row, coat of arms inscribed THO / MVNS / TER in three lines; 1534 above. Geisberg 13; Davenport 9583. EF, toned.

In 1534, the Anabaptists took control of Münster from the Catholic church. They commemorated the event by issuing the “Anabaptist taler,” which was subsequently restruck on several occasions. This example, with the monogram of mintmaster Engelbert Ketteler, was struck in the 1640s. It was likely presented as a token to envoys who visited Münster to negotiate the end of the Thirty Years’ War.