Owner Comments:
Friedrich Boeckh, the Minister of Finance of the Duchy of Baden, looked around the room that was filled with people. He was faced with a difficult task today - to convince the parliamentarians sitting in front of him of the need to reunite with the Zollverein, or the United Germany. The problem of reunification has long hung over the Duchy like the sword of Damocles - neighboring Bavaria, along with Prussia and Wurttemberg, all tightened their tariffs tighter and it seemed like the little Duchy had no choice. But politicians, businessmen, farmers, and nobles held a different opinion - most of them did not want to fall under the dictatorship of the Prussian crown, especially when it came to the political and economic freedom of their native state. There was a tough battle of words and Herr Boeckh was ready to fight to the end - it was always his dream from a very young age, as he argued with his friend Nebenius about the distant time when a strong Germany would revive from difficult post-war years with uniform borders, fair tariffs, a standard currency - all that will provide free trade and a powerful economy. And his native Baden deserved all this - Boeckh remembered how it all began then, in the distant post-Napoleonic 1815-1817 years. The devastation following the war, the decline of the economy - Baden only survived through imports. Wine, tobacco, hemp, hops, and cattle flowed across the borders into nearby lands, providing farmers and traders with at least some form of income. Then, in the 1820s, under pressure from their eternal neighbors/competitors (Bavaria and Wurttemberg), things became worse. The South German Customs Union overlaid them with tariffs, and smuggling began to flourish; smugglers were operating along the entire border passing through the Black Forest, doing a much better job of glorifying this ancient forest throughout Germany than the Grimm Brothers fairy tales. In exchange for contraband, a great wealth of foreign goods flowed into Baden, such as Swiss watches and chocolate, Dutch cheeses, etc - as if its own German produce were not enough! Furthermore, it got worse! Tariffs surrounding the Baden German states finally squeezed the economy's throat - especially after the formation of the Three Customs Unions - thanks to the efforts of King Ludwig I of Bavaria. Then both Ludwig-Bavarian and Ludwig-the Herzog-Baden did not agree; Baden was still in splendid isolation. Old Gross Herzog Ludwig was generally cautious in making decisions, especially when it came to free trade and the territorial issue - he knew that the "Big brother" of Bavaria had long been claiming a piece of the territory of Baden. It got to the point that in May 1828, a secret meeting of the Parliament (in Two Baden Chambers) took place in order to deliver an ultimatum to the Duke - to unite with the Three Customs Unions - and ultimately failed. Even with the involvement of the King of Prussia in 1830, it was useless - Baden could not merge with the Customs Union of Bavaria and Wurttemberg - the territorial claims of Bavaria hindered this and the smuggling through the Black Forest did not diminish. Hard times befell Baden. It got to the point that in May 1831 the Parliament was again gathered for a secret meeting to ask the help of the King of Prussia to take the unfortunate state under its wing. But Frederick Willhelm III already had big plans in mind for Bavaria, for Wurttemberg, and for the rest of Germany. Already born and growing, destroying all borders, was the single Union of German Lands - the Zollverein - the dream of all advanced economists and politicians: a mighty, united Germany! And Baden was again as if beside the point - ongoing smuggling, along with the ambitions of the Duke. It is time to end this! Boeckh glanced around the quiet hall and began his speech: "Brothers! Fellow citizens! Fellow countrymen! Our State is in danger! Once a blooming country, we now perish in isolation! We have lost imports from neighboring German states, we are stifled by tariffs, and we will not be able to survive at the expense of a single smuggling! We have no choice but to reunite with the Zollverein!"
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The Minister of Finance had to spend a lot of effort to convince the advanced public of Baden the need for a Union with German Lands. Politicians did not want to lose state control, traders did not want to lose smuggling profits, and the common people did not want to deal with Prussia and its laws. But there was no longer any choice and in October 1834 the historic meeting of the three states took place in Munich. After years of battle, an agreement on mutual economic boundaries was signed between Bavaria, Wurttemberg, and Baden. The last details were agreed and in May 1835 Baden became part of the Zollverein. This started a new page in the life of the state. As for our Ludwig I of Bavaria, by that time he had already prepared a sketch of the new Commemorative Taler - in memory of the admission of Baden to the Customs Union.
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German Talers since 1800 by John S. Davenport.
Bavaria, King Ludwig Series (1825 - 1848).
Taler 1835, Baden - Custom Union.
Davenport 573, KM 766(407), Thun 65, AKS 132, J.47.
Commemorative - for the addition of Baden to the German Customs Union.
Obverse: Head of the Ludwig I to the right, LUDWIG I KOENIG VON BAYERN. ZEHN EINE FEINE MARK.
Reverse: BEYTRITT VON BADEN ZUM TEUTSCHEN ZOLLVEREIN 1835, caduceus in sprays.
PCGS MS 64.
28.0600 g., 0.83300 Silver, 0.7515 oz. ASW.
Attractive golden patina with dark bronze rainbow at the edges, mirror fields, spectacular-looking coin!!