Owner Comments:
“Auf Wiedersehen Meine Kleine, Auf Wiedersehen…” - King Ludwig sang the words of a renowned folk song. “Farewell, farewell to my dear Konventionstaler! Things were so good when we were together! But this is now in the past and a new page has hidden the old word-filled page underneath…It is even rather sad, my dear Carl.” The King and the Head Engraver stood in the center of the Muenzekabinet and together were examining a fresh new taler still hot from underneath the press. “What to do, dear Master, we need to fill out an international agreement. Since it has been decided to change to a new value system, this is what needs to be done.” The King once more keenly eyed the taler and even flipped it into the air, delighting in the shiny contours of the fresh coin. “This is what happens when you unify the good old Guilder with the now friendly Taler - you get the Vereinsmuenze, or the Union Coin!” The old Engraver Carl Voigt nodded in approval. “Direct your attention, Your Highness, the new coin is larger in size. Normally it is equivalent to 3.5 Guilders or 2 Talers in value.” Ludwig agreed, “I see, dear Carl - i’ll tell you more, I even like it! I love big, weighty coins… it is so pleasant to hold them in the hand, especially when there are many of them!” The King had himself a laugh, pleased with his joke. “Even my portrait is looking a little different.. you didn’t happen to change my hairstyle, my dear Carl?” “Of course not, Your Highness, your hairstyle has remained as it was before, as we all appreciate it to be. Your kingly profile, the most popular in our Bavaria. Ask any barber!” Joked the Engraver in response, “And as concerns the new Talers, today we begin the mintage of coins with a new profile. Little by little they will entirely replace our good old Konventifonstalers,” said the Master as he inclined his head.” Ludwig replied, “But don’t forget our legacy. We still have to continue the mintage of our Commemorative Historical Coin to inscribe our proud German heritage, our Glory!” The Master, smiling, responded, “Don’t worry, Your Highness, the difference will only be in that now every commemorative coin will be valued at two talers instead of one as before.” The King once more weighed the coin in his hand. “It’s bigger and heavier… how much silver is within it?” The Mintmaster replied, “37 grams in comparison with the old 28 gram.” The King said, “This means that we’ll need more silver and maybe we’ll even have to reduce the mintage.” The mintmaster reassured him, “Do not worry, Your Highness, we’ll count everything out. Your treasury, and especially your legacy won’t suffer any shame” “Wonderful! I already have several new ideas that I’ll need to form into silver, into new Taler Commemorative Coins!”
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And thus since the year 1839 Bavaria began to issue coins with a new face - the so-called Vereinsmuenze or Union Thalers following the Munich Coin Treaty of 1837 and the consequent Dresden Coinage Convention of 1838. That was an attempt to unite the Prussian Taler and the Southern Guilder by a fixed exchange rate across multiple lands. The Thaler now became equal to 1.75 Guldens and the Gulden became equal to 4/7 of the Thaler with standard silver content which was 90% of the coin’s face value. The battle between the Prussian Thaler and the Southern Guilder was almost over towards the Thaler and the Prussian economic and political dominance over the German Land. The Vienna Coinage Treaty of 1857 was the last nail in a coffin of the Southern Currency System but this will be another story to tell.
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German Talers since 1800 by John S. Davenport
Bavaria, King Ludwig Series (1825 - 1848).
2 Taler 1840.
Davenport 584, KM 805 (426), Thun 73, AKS 73, J.64, Schw. 19.
Vereinsmünze - Regular Issue. Doppeltaler.
Obverse: Head of the Ludwig to the right, LUDWIG I KOENIG VON BAYERN.
Reverse: VERTEINSMUNZE above oak wreath VII EINE F. MARK 3 1/2 GULDEN 2 THALER 1840 inside the wreath. VII EINE F. MARK below.
37.1200 g., 0.9000 Silver, 1.0740 oz. ASW.
NGC MS 63. (# 3498789-001).
Slightly toned, satin luster, flawless fields.