Germany (Mansfeld-Artern) Thaler 1617 to 1624

After some scrambling through our research database, this coin has turned out to be an old thaler from the German state of Mansfeld-Artern. The prominent Protestant professor of theology Martin Luther grew up in the town of Mansfeld. Before the existence of what we now know as Germany, Mansfeld was a state in the Holy Roman Empire.

There are many varieties of these coins. The inscriptions are all over the place. One side names the joint rulers: Volrat VI, Wolfgang III and Johann Georg II. Their names will appear in different ways, for example 'VOLRAT. WOLFGANG. IOHAN. GEORG' or 'VOLR. WOLF. IOH. GEOR.'.

The other side of the coin has the Latin inscription 'COM: ET: DOM: IN: MANS: NO: DO: IN: HE', an abbreviation of 'Comes Et Dominus in Mansfeld Nobilis Dominus In Heldrungen Seeburg Et Schraplau'. This translates into 'Earl and Lord of Mansfeld, Noble Lord of Heldrungen, Seeburg and Schraplau'.

There are other coins which look like these, but with different inscriptions. The values below only apply to coins with inscriptions like those described above. Three denominations are possible:

1/4 THALER: approx 34 mm diameter
1/2 THALER: approx 37 mm diameter
THALER: approx 40 mm diameter

THALER:
worn: $120 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $450
well preserved: $900

Smaller denominations are worth less, approximately one-half as much, although with old medieval coins like this most of the collector value comes from the state of preservation, lack of damage, and overall eye appeal. The thaler in our picture comes from Auktionen Meister Sonntag in Stuttgart, Germany, where it sold for 625 euros (about 850 US dollars) during a 2014 auction.

Please read our Important Terminology page found at the top left in order to properly interpret these catalog values.
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