Owner Comments:
Baron Johann Friedrich von Cotta did not sleep all night. His writing desk was overflowing with countless papers, each saturated with fine scrawls of black script. He would pull one out of the stack, briefly glare at it, angrily tear it to shreds, and mindlessly reach for another blank sheet to begin scrawling anew. Plumes of blue tobacco smoke hung motionless under the ceiling of the musty library. For the Baron knew that tomorrow would be a momentous day; he must speak at the Munich Assembly, with hopes of convincing King Ludwig of Bavaria to agree to a Customs Union with Prussia and Hesse-Darmstadt. Following a prolonged discussion with Friedrich von Motz, the Prussian Minister of Finance, the Baron understood the various political landmarks that such a union could create. A firm union between the North and South would not only weaken Middle Union states like Saxony and Hannover, but would also greatly lessen the influence of foreign traders such as France and England - not to mention Austria, who stubbornly refused to join the Union. The Baron thought to himself, “Convincing King Ludwig will be a difficult and trying task, considering his insistence for Bavarian dominance in this region… but perhaps I can find a few potent arguments.” Friedrich Wilhelm, the King of Prussia, would find himself in the position to make various concessions and to lose some money - but it would be for the greater good. For one cannot forget that the industrial sector of Prussia is desperately in need of coal and silver from Harz, among other southern lands. The Austrian economy is at stake! Such a union would bring Prussia into the pinnacles of German power.
The next day, golden rays of sun shone through the palace windows, reflecting polychromatic brilliance through carved wineglasses and ornate jewelry worn by distinguished ministers and officials. Amid the atmosphere the Baron roared, “We will join our lands with duty-free roads! The heart of Harz will be linked with Prussian factories! In time, the Zollverein could even expand to the Middle States! If we join our powers, we will show the rest of our impotent neighbors, especially - Austria - that our beloved Germany is united in its power and DOMINANCE!” With this the Baron fell back into his chair and downed an entire glass of wine in one triumphant swig. Silence hung in the air like smoke, and all eyes were fixed on the contemplative form of King Ludwig of Bavaria. Rising slowly from his seat, the King regally lifted his hand and held aloft his brimming glass of wine. After a moment of silence, he suddenly bellowed, “To the new Customs Union! To a Germany without borders! To the freedom of trade! To prosperity!” And immediately the entire palace became filled with thunderous applause! The King of Bavaria rejoiced, for his father’s long-standing dream had finally been fulfilled; Germany slowly but surely edged towards unity and blossoming wealth. As if to comfort the tears of joy in his eyes, an idea split his mind like a flash of white lightning - he should make a Taler, adorned with cornucopias and noble shields and a caduceus! It would be beauty incarnate!
After a time, all other states joined the Zollverein under Prussian leadership. This led to the unity of Germany under Prussian economic and political power.
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German Talers since 1800 by John S. Davenport.
Bavaria, King Ludwig Series (1825 - 1848).
Taler 1829, COMMERCE TREATY.
Davenport 564, KM 738, Thun 57, AKS 124, J.39.
Commemoration of the Bavarian - Prussian- Wurttemberg and Hesse Commerce Treaty.
Obverse: Head fo Ludwig to the right, LUDWIG I KOENIG VON BAYERN. ZEHN EINE FEINE MARK
Reverse: HANDELSVERTRAG ZWISCHEN BAYERN, PREUSSEN, WURTTEMBERG UND HESSEN, 1829 (Commercial Treaty between Bavaria, Prussia, Wurttemberg and Hesse) , two cornucorias with caduceus on the center and four shields around.
28.0600 g., 0.83300 Silver, 0.7515 oz. ASW.
Commemorative "Historic" Taler of Ludwig I of Bavaria - to Commemorate the Commercial Treaty between Bavaria, Prussia, Wurttemberg and Hesse. Heavily toned with some contact marks and hairlines, dark-bronze mirrored fields create very sophisticated look and possibly determine the grade - graded as MS 62 by NGC. Still great collectible and RARE in MS coin!!