Owner Comments:
“Franz, I want this to be a completely new type of Taler - a new design!” said King Ludwig, looking directly at the Mint Director. “This is of utmost importance not only for Bavaria but for the entirety of Germany! I’ve already listened to all of the arguments and commentaries directed at me at that meeting in Dresden, that they call a “Convention”… They - by this I mean the King of Prussia and his vassals - they don’t give a damn about our traditions, our currency. I will not allow for the coinage of my country to depict some kind of trash - whether it be a Prussian eagle or whatnot!” The King jumped up and started to pace the room. “Your Highness!” Franz von Streber the old Mint Director inclined his head in concern - “We have already thought it all out. Our engraver Carl Voight already fashioned a new, unique design for your newest Taler. Considering the new rules agreed upon at the Convention, it will resemble of course a piece in two coins with the inscription ‘2 Taler 3 1/2 Guldens’ so that nobody may forget that this is indeed your idea and your Gulden is in unity with the Prussian Taler. And of course, the most important, our Bavarian emblem, our lions, the symbol of the might of Your Highness!” King Ludwig replied, “To hell with symbols! It’s not about them! I am not, in fact, referring to them -“ as he fell into his chair and covered his face with his hands. “I am talking about my hair style! It is high time we changed it. I’ve grown dreadfully tired of this shovel hair on my coinage. Change something for me, or at least add some curls above the ears.” The Mint Director replied, bowing respectfully, “However is best for Your Highness. Today we will begin designing a new sketch - you are sure to love it!” But in his soul the Mint Director knew that Ludwig would not let under any circumstances any change befall his profile and all of his talk will thus end up useless in the air and not on paper or even worse on the silver of coins.
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Thus thanks to the efforts of Ludwig and his attempts at creating a unified system of currency, beginning from the Munich Agreement in 1837 and continuing in Dresden, July 30th 1838, the Convention took place unifying the currency systems of the north and south of Germany. This was the second grand attempt at creating a unified currency - the first took place at the Grand Coinage Convention in 1738 - but the Dresden Conference was significantly more meaningful in the establishment of a Monetary Union. Many lands and districts finally found agreement upon how to convert the Taler of the north and the Guldens of the south. Into this Union went the powers of Prussia, Bavaria, Wurtemberg, Baden, Hesse, the Saxon lands, Nassau, Schwarzburg, Reuss, and also the free city of Frankfurt-am-Main. The new fixed exchange rate for the Taler was established to be equal to 1.75 Gulden, and for the Gulden it was to be equal to 4/7 of a Taler. Further developments of the Vereinsmuenze would come in the year of 1857 when Austria and the Zollverein (the nations of the Union) would gather at the Convention in Vienna. But this is already another story.
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German Talers since 1800 by John S. Davenport.
Bavaria, King Ludwig Series (1825 - 1848).
2 Talers 1842.
Davenport 589, KM 814 (432), Thun 74, AKS 74, J.65, Schw. 20.
Vereinsmünze - Regular Issue. Doppeltaler.
Obverse: Head of the Ludwig to the right, LUDWIG I KOENIG VON BAYERN.
Reverse: 3 1/2 GULDEN VII EINE F. MARK 2 THALER, crowned and supported arms, VEREINSMUNZE AND 1843 below.
37.1200 g., 0.9000 Silver, 1.0740 oz. ASW.
NGC MS 62.
Another large double Taler of Ludwig I of Bavaria (1825-1848) - regular coinage or Vereinsmuenze, 1842. Clear uncirculated and lustrous fields with touch of wear more prominent on obverse, sharp details of the design, slightly toned at the edges. Another great collectible and high quality coin!