Start page Varia

Order of the Golden Fleece on coins and medals

Register of persons

2.   Order sign on coins of appointed knights

here Part 2b :  Continuation
Poland :   Sigismund I the Old, 1506-48   Sigismund III Wasa, 1587-1632   Wladislaw IV, 1633-48
John II Kasimir, 1648-68   Michael Korybut, 1669-1673
Saxony :   George the Bearded, 1500-39
Saxony-Poland:
Friedrich August I, 1694-1733 Elector of Saxony = Augustus II the Strong, 1697-1706/09-33 King of Poland
Friedrich August II, 1733-63 Elector of Saxony = Augustus III, 1733-63 King of Poland
Friedrich August III, 1763-1806 Elector/King of Saxony
Rietberg :  Johnann III of East Friesland, 1618-25 Count of Rietberg
Württemberg:   Karl Alexander, 1733-37   Karl Eugen, 1737/44-1793   Ludwig Eugen, 1793-1795

continue to
Part 2c :   Italy, Spain, ..., Transylvania
Part 2d :   Austrian new princes
or go back to Part 1a :   Beginning of the Order



Poland

Sigismund I the Old, 1506-48 King of Poland
King Sigismund married Bona Sforza from Milan in 1518 in his second marriage. She brought the Renaissance to Poland with her court. Sigismund was awarded the Order of the Golden Fleece by the Assembly of the Order in Barcelona under the chairmanship of Emperor Charles V in 1519. After the coinage reform of 1526/28, Sigismund's portrait appeared on coins, but without the Golden Fleece.


Cast bronze medal 1527   probably by Jobst Freudner (goldsmith and seal engraver
at the court of Duke Albrecht in Königsberg) based on a model by Hans Schwarz (Nuremberg).
Ø 81 mm, 207 g.   Habich 265; J.D.Köhler II 265.
Obv.:   Dominus SIGISmundus I Rex Pius Pater Patriae EFfigatur AD VIVAM IMAGInem AETAtis Anno 60
"Sigismund I King, the kind father of the fatherland, pictured after the living portrait at the age of 60"   -   Bust to the right, in a cloak with a wire hood and Golden Fleece on the order chain.
Rev.:  POtentissimus VTRIVSQue SARmatiae REX MAZOviae DVX RVSSiae ET PRVSiae Dominus ANno 1527   "The mightiest king of both Sarmatia, duke in Mazovia, lord in Russia and Prussia, in 1527"
Crowned Polish eagle shield surrounded by coats of arms of Lithuania, Austria, Prussia & Red Russia.

His son and successor, Sigismund II August, did not become a member of the order. They were followed
by Stefan Bathory, 1576-1586 in Poland and Lithuania, who also did not become a member of the Order.

Sigismund III Wasa, 1587-1632 King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania
Sigismund III was the son of the Swedish King John III Sigismund Wasa and his wife Katharina, daughter of Sigismund I of Poland, who educated him as a Catholic. Sigismund III thus belonged to both the Vasa and the Jagiellonians. He was elected King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania in 1587. When his father died in 1592, Sigismund was unable to keep his ancestral homeland Sweden and lost it finally in 1604. Sigismund III received the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1600.

5 ducats 1614, Gdansk (Danzig).   Ø 42 mm, 17,42 g.   Dutkowski/Suchanek 203; Friedb.6.
The emiting authority here is the city of Gdansk under the sovereignty of Poland.
Obv.:   EX᛫AVRO᛫SOLIDO᛫CIVITAS᛫GEDANENSIS᛫FIERI᛫Fecit  -  Two lions hold the city coat of arms. Below the arms: date 16 - 14 and S - M (Samuel Ammon, mint master).
Rev.:   SIGISMVNDVS᛫III᛫D:G:REX᛫POLONIÆ᛫MAG:DVX᛫LIT:RVS:PRVSSIÆ
Crowned bust right with ruff and chain of orders, date 1614 particularly small over the crown.


Ort (1/4 thaler) 1617, Gdansk.   Ø 28 mm, 6,32 g.   Dutkowski/Suchanek 158 II; Kopicki 7493.
Obv.:   MONETA·CIVIT:GEDANENSIS·1617·  -  Coat of arms held by 2 lions.
Rev.:   ·SIGIS:III·D:G:REX·POL:M:D:L:R:PRVS:
Crowned royal bust right with chain and Order of the Golden Fleece.


5 ducats (1/2 Portugaleser) 1622, Vilnius for Lithuania.  Ø 35 mm, 17,32 g.
Kopicki 3560; Friedb.78.
Obv.:   SIGISMVNDVS+III+D G:REX+POLoniae:MAGnus:DVX+LITVaniae:  -  Crowned and armored bust to the right, with a cloak and the Order of the Golden Fleece and its chain.
Rev.:   RVSsiae:PRVSsiae:MAsoviae:SAmogitiae:LIVOniae - NEc:NOn:SVeciae:GOthorum:VAndalorum:Haereditarius:Rex:16 - 21
Crowned, quartered coat of arms (Poland / Sweden / Lithuania / ...)
with a central shield of corn sheaf (Vasa),
below two fish, around the chain of the Order with the Golden Fleece,
on the sides the signature H. - T (Hans Trylner, mint master in Vilnius around 1621).
Legend over both sides: "... by the grace of God King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania, Russia, Prussia, Masovia, Samogitia, Livonia - as well as hereditary King of the Swedes, Goths and Vandals"


Double thaler 1627, Bydgoszcz (Bromberg).   Ø 44 mm, 58,08 g.   Dav.zu 4313-5.
Obv.:   SIGIS:III:D:G:REX·POLOniae:Magnus:Dux:LIThuaniae:RVSSiae:PRVSsiae:MAssoviae·
Crowned, armored, draped effigy with shouldered sword and orb in the left hand, chain of Order with the Fleece on the breast.
Rev.:   SAMogitiae:LIVoniae:NEC·NOn:SVEcciae - GOThorum:VAnDalorum:Que:HaeRedItarius:REX·
Crowned Coat of Arms (Poland/Lithuania,topped Sweden/Gotland, then Wasa), around
the chain of the Orden with the Golden Fleece, in the field 16 - 27.


Thaler 1630, Toruń (Thorn).   Ø 42 mm.   Kopicki 8263, Gum.1425, Dav.4371.
The city of Thorn is the minting authority here.
Obv.:   ·MONETA NOVA·ARGENT·CIVIT·THORVNENSIS 1630·
Angels above city coat of arms flanked by mintmaster initials I - I (Jakob Jakobson).
Rev.:   ·SIG·III D G REX·POL·ET·SVEC·M·D·LIT·RVS·PRVS·
Crowned effigy, orb, sword and chain with the Order of the Golden Fleece.

Wladislaw IV, 1633-48 King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania
He was the eldest son of King Sigismund III Wasa and Archduchess Anna of Austria-Styria. In 1615, at the age of 20, he became a member of the Order of the Golden Fleece. In 1633, at the age of 38, Wladislaw was crowned King of Poland in Kraków. Already in 1599 he had been elected King of Sweden and in 1611 Tsar of Russia, without succeeding in the coronation. His Latin title reads: Vladislaus Quartus Dei gratia rex Poloniae, magnus dux Lithuaniae, Russiae, Prussiae, Masoviae, Samogitiae, Livoniaeque, Smolenscie, Severiae, Czernichoviaeque necnon Suecorum, Gothorum Vandalorumque haereditarius rex, electus magnus dux Moschoviae.


Thaler 1635 (1636), Elbag (Elbing).   Ø 44 mm, 28,59 g.  Dutkowski/Suchanek 240; Dav.4362.
Obv.:   ·ELBINGA·INTER - ARMA·SERVATA·1635   "Elbing spared from war"
Oval, richly decorated coat of arms between I - I (Jacob Jacobson, mint master in Thorn 1630-39).
Rev.:   *VLADISL:IV:DG:REX:P:M:D:L:RUS:PR:MA:SA:LI:
Nec:Non:SUECciae·GOhorum·VAmdalorum·Haereditarius·REX·
Armored bust from the front with the chain of the Order of the Golden Fleece.
After King Gustav II Adolph of Sweden had conquered large parts of the Baltic coast, including Elbing, in 1626, the Treaty of Stuhmsdorf was concluded between King Wladislaus IV of Poland and Queen Christina of Sweden in 1635. In this treaty, Poland received large parts of the Baltic coast, including Elbing, back from Sweden. Sweden kept Livonia and Estonia and ignored the Polish claims to the Swedish crown, which is also mentioned in the reverse legend of this thaler. The thaler was not minted until 1636, which is why Jacobsen had the last two digits of the year of minting placed on the obverse in addition to the year of the peace treaty in 1635.


Thaler 1636, Gdansk.   Ø 45 mm, 28,78 g   Dutkowski/Suchanek 218 I; Kopicki 7558; Dav.4350.
Obv.:   MONETA ARGENTEA CIVITATIS GEDANENSIS
Rev.:   *VLADISL:IV·D:G:REX POLON:M:D:LIT:RUS:PRUS:&c·N:N·SUEC:&c·H:REX


Ducat 1640 M-S, Toruń (Thorn).   Ø 22 mm, 3,47 g.  Kopicki 8299; Dutk./Such. 1440; Friedb.58.
Ducat issued and minted in Toruń.
Obv.:   *MONETA AUREA CIITATIS THORUNEN
City coat of arms held by an angel, on the sides the divided date 16 - 40 and the divided signature M - S (Melchior Schirmer, guardian of the Bromberg and Thorn mints 1640-42).
Rev.:   VLAD:IIII:D:G:REX POL:M:D:L:RVS:P:  -  Crowned bust right, with a richly decorated
draped cloak and the chain of the Order with the Golden Fleece on the breast.


Ducat 1642 G-G, Bydgoszcz (Bromberg).   Ø 22 mm, 3,41 g.   Kopicki 1533; Friedb.86.
Obv.:   VL᛫IIII᛫D:G᛫REX᛫POL᛫ET᛫SVE:
Crowned bust to the right with a cloak and the chain of the Order of the Golden Fleece.
Rev.:   MON᛫NOVA᛫AV - REA᛫REG᛫POL᛫  -  Crowned coat of arms (Poland/Sweden/Lithuania) with central shield of corn sheaves (Vasa), surrounded by the chain of the Order of the Golden Fleece, at the top of the sides of the coat of arms the divided year 16 - 42 as well as the divided signature G - (crossed Zainhaken) / G (Gabriel Görloff, mint tenant in Bromberg, 1640-44).


8 ducats 1644, Gdansk.   Ø 33? mm, 28,10 g.   Dutkowski/Suchanek 264; Friedb.17.
Obv.:   REGIA CIVITAS GEDANENSIS FIERI FECIT  -  City view of Gdansk, above radiant name of Jehovah in clouds from which emerge two arms with branches, sword and scales, in the section two lions hold the Gdansk city coat of arms, to the sides the divided date 16 - 44
and the split signature G - R (Gerhard Rogge, mint tenant in Danzig 1639-56),
below the die cutter signature I - H (Johann Höhn)
Rev.:   VLADISLAUS IIII D:G:REX POL:&SUEC:M:DUX LITV:RUS:PRUS:
Crowned and armored portrait from the hip right, shouldering the scepter in the right hand, orb in the left, the Golden Fleece on the breast.


Thaler 1644, Kraków.   Ø 43 mm, 28,32 g.   Dav.4332.
Obv.:   VLA:IIII:D:G:REX:POLOniae: - ·Magnus:Dux:LIThuaniae:RVSsiae:PRussiae:MAssoviae
Rev.:   SAMogitiae:LIVoniae:NEC:NOn:SVeciae: - GOThorum:VANdalorum:Que HÆreditarius:REX·
Coat of arms Poland/Lithuania, applied Sweden/Gotland, on top Vasa; mint mark and date on the sides, Fleece chain around.

John II Kasimir, 1648-68 King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania
Johann Kasimir was the second son of Sigismund III from the House of Wasa, hence his title "King of Sweden". The 20-year reign of John II, during which there were only wars, is regarded as the beginning of the end of the militarily, politically and economically disrupted Polish-Lithuanian noble republic. His country was devastated by six invading hordes - Cossacks, Swedes, Muscovites, Transylvanians, Turks and Brandenburgers. Troubled by these foreign policy defeats and an internal magnate rebellion in 1665-66, John II abdicated in 1668, unnerved, and died four years later in the monastery of St Martin in Nevers.
He became a member of the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1638.

Thaler 1649 GP, Kraków.   Ø 42 mm, 28,21 g.  Gumowski 1780; Kopicki 1806; Dav.4334.
Obv.:   ᛫IOANNES.CASIMIR᛫DG᛫REX᛫POLON᛫MAG᛫DVX᛫LIT᛫RVS᛫PRVS᛫Massoviae:Samogitiae:Livoniae
Crowned and armored hip portrait right with chain of the Order of the Golden Fleece, scepter in right hand, orb in left hand, sword hilt.
Rev.:   SMOlesci᛫SVEeriae᛫CZERnicoviae᛫QVE᛫Nec - NoN᛫SVEciae᛫GOthorum᛫VAndalorun᛫Haereditarius᛫REX
Crowned, quartered coat of arms with central shield, surrounded by the chain of the Golden Fleece, on the sides the sign G - P (Gerhard Pyrami, mint master in Kraków 1648-50) and the divided dates 16 - 49.


Thaler 1651, Elblag.   Ø 43 mm, 28,43 g.   Gum.1973; Dav.4364.
Obv.:   ᛫MONETA᛫ARGENTEA᛫CIVITATIS᛫ELBINGENSIS᛫1651᛫
Angel holds coat of arms of Elbing, below W-VE (Wilhelm van Eck, mint master in Elblag 1650-52).
Rev.:   ᛫IOAN:CASIM᛫DG᛫REX᛫POL᛫&᛫SVECorum᛫MagnusDuxLituaniae᛫RVSsiae᛫PRVssiae
Crowned royal bust right, face on the shoulder, Golden Fleece with a row of flowers as chain.


4 ducats 1655, Toruń.   Ø 35 mm, 13,75 g.  Kopicki -; H.-Cz. -; Dutkowski/Such.1554; Friedb.63.
Obv.:   EX᛫AVRO᛫SOLIDO᛫CIVIT:THORVNENS:FIERI᛫Fecit:
City view of Toruń, with a bridge over the Vistula on which small boats are sailing, above two angels in clouds holding the city coat of arms, below left on a meadow the divided date 16 - 55, in between
the joined mintmaster marks HL (Hans David Lauer, mintmaster in Toruń 1649-68).
Rev.:   IOAN:CAS:D:G:REX POL.ET SVE:M:D:L:R:P:
Crowned and armored bust right with a cloak and the chain with the Order of the Golden Fleece.


Ducat 1658, Gdansk.   Ø 25 mm, 3,58 g.   Dutkowski/Suchanek 313 II; Kopicki 7659; Friedb.24.
Obv.:   MON:AUREA CIVITAT᛫GEDANENS᛫1658.
Two lions hold the city coat of arms, below D – L (Daniel Lesse, mint master).
Rev.:   IOH᛫CAS᛫D᛫G᛫R᛫POL᛫& SUEC᛫M᛫D᛫L᛫R᛫P᛫  -  Gekrönte, geharnischte Büste nach rechts.


6 Gröscher 1661, Kraków.   Ø , 3,23 g.   Kopicki 1635.
Obv.:   IOAN᛫CASI᛫D᛫G᛫ - ᛫REX᛫POL᛫&᛫SVE  -  Crowned bust right, with Order of the Fleece.
Rev.:   GROS·ARGE·SIX·REG·POL·1661  -  Crown above the coats of arms of Poland and Lithuania,
between value numberal VI, below the Wasa coat of arms between TL. - .R.

Michael Korybut, 1669-1673
Michael became the next King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, the regent of the state of Poland-Lithuania. He came from a Polish noble family and prevailed over foreign candidates in the royal election of 1669 because the nobility, unlike the influential oligarchs, had bad experiences with foreigners.
He was awarded the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1669.

Coronation Medal (1669)   Ø 35 mm, 10,32 g.
Raczyński 1845; Reichel 1667; H-Cz.2386; Frankiewicz 734.
Obv.:   MICHAEL D᛫G᛫REX POL᛫Magnus᛫Dux Lituaniae᛫Russiae᛫PRussiae &c
Bust in draped armour, with laurel wreath and chain with the Golden Fleece.
Rev.:   DEXTERA DOMINI FECIT VIRTUTEM.   "Lord's right hand did mighty things"
A globe on a shell floats in the sea. An eagle stands on it. Hands rising from the clouds hold a crown
above the eagle with their swords. Above it shines the sun.
There is also a variant without the Golden Fleece.


Ducat 1673 Gdansk.   Ø mm, ca.3,5 g.   Gum.1981; Kopicki 7682; H-Cz.2383; Friedb.32.
Obv.:   MON᛫AUREA CIVITAT GEDANENS᛫1673  -  City coat of arms held by 2 lions.
Below D - L (Daniel Lesse, mint master).
Rev.:   MICHAEL DG REX - POL᛫MDL R᛫P
Crowned, draped and cuirassed bust to the right, chain and Golden Fleece Order.
This ducat was minted in 1670-73, also without the Golden Fleece.

A 1671 thaler from Elblag depicts the Golden Fleece, illustrated by Davenport under Dav.4365.

John III Sobieski, 1674-96
John was a Polish nobleman, statesman and military leader from the noble Sobieski family. He was elected King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1674 until his death 1696. He is considered the savior of Vienna during the siege by the Turks in 1683. However, he did not become a member of the Order of the Golden Fleece.
After John's death, many candidates applied for the throne. The choice finally fell on Friedrich August the Strong, Elector of Saxony, see below.

Saxony

George the Bearded, Duke of Saxony 1500-39
Georg strove for reforms within the framework of the old church as a convinced Catholic. He arranged visitations of ecclesiastical institutions in order to correct abuses. George enabled Martin Luther to participate in the Leipzig Disputation (1519) against the resistance of the Bishop of Merseburg. However, Georg firmly rejected Luther's ideas and from then on vigorously fought the Reformation in his country. He considered the peasants' revolt in 1525 to be a direct consequence of Luther's teachings.
Georg received the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1531, with which he shows himself on his thalers from 1534.


Guldengroschen (Thaler) 1534, Buchholz T.   Ø 39 mm.  Schnee 78; Keilitz 130.5; Dav.9720.
Obv.:  (1) IOANnes FR (2) RIdericus·ELE (3) Ctor·DVX·SA (4) Xoniae·FIeri·FEci T  (T = mint Buchholz)
Arms in the legend:   (1) Electorate Saxony, (2) Margraviate Meissen, (3) Duchy Saxony,
(4) Landgraviate Thuringia.
Bust of John Frederick with shouldered electoral sword to the right.
Rev.:  (a) GEORGIus (b) DVX·SAX (c) Oniae·FIeri·FEcit· (d) ANno·1534  (without mintmark)
Arms in the legend:   (a) Duchy Saxony (top), (b) Margraviate Meissen, (c) Palatinate Saxony,
(d) Landgraviate Thuringia.
Beardless bust of George, collar with Order of the Golden Fleece on the chest.

After the death of his wife Barbara (1534), a Polish king's daughter, George grew a beard as
a sign of his mourning.


Guldengroschen (Thaler), 1536, Annaberg.    Ø 39 mm.   Schnee 72; Keilitz 128; Dav.9721.
Obv.:   () IOHANnesF () RIdericus·ELECtor· () DVX·SA () Xoniae·FIeri·FEcit
Bust of John Frederick in curial regalia with shouldered electoral sword to the right.
Rev.:  () (Mm.) GEORgius () DVX·SA () Xoniae·FIEri·Fecit· () Anno·1536
(mint mark = star with cross = mintmaster Wolf Hühnerkopf in Annaberg)
Bust of George with beard to the left, collar with Order of the Golden Fleece on the chest.

Saxony-Poland
After the death of John III Sobieski in 1696, several candidates applied for the Polish royal crown, including four German imperial princes.

Augustus the Strong
Frederick Augustus I, 1694-1733 Elector of Saxony
and as well Augustus II, 1697-1706 & 1709-33 King of Poland
In 1697, the Saxon Elector Frederick Augustus I was elected King of Poland and crowned in Krakow as Augustus II. Shortly before the election, August had converted to the Catholic faith. This also brought him admission to the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1697. However, this order was not depicted on his coins in Saxony or Poland. In 1702 he received the Danish Order of the Elephant. In 1705, the distressed king restored the Polish Order of the White Eagle, which subsequently became Poland's highest honour.

Excursus: Danish and Polish orders


2 Ducats 1702, Dresden, on the reception of the Danish Order of the Elephant.
Ø 24 mm, 6,97 g.  Friedb.2811.
Obv.:   AUGUSTUS II·D G·REX POL·&·EL·SAX
Head to the right with laurel wreath, below the signature O.
Rev.:   Crowned, quartered coat of arms (Poland/Lithuania) with Electoral Saxon central shield on
Danish Order star, around it the chain of the Order (towers and elephants as links),
attached to it elephant with tower on top.


Thaler n. d. (1705), Dresden, on the restoration of the Polish Order of the White Eagle.
Ø 46 mm, 29,09 g.   Schnee 1001; Kopicki 11142; Dav.-.
Obv.:   D·G·FRIDERICVS AVGVSTVS REX POLON·ET ELECT·SAXON
Bust in armour to the right with laurel wreath, folded cloak and ribbon.
Rev.:  RESTAVRATOR ORDINIS AQVILÆ POLONICÆ  "Restorer of the Order of the Polish Eagle"
The Order of the White Eagle on ribbon, in the centre Order star with cross and the inscription: PRO FIDE REGE ET LEGE "For Faith, King and Law".

Frederick Augustus II, 1733-63 Elector of Saxony  as well   Augustus III, King of Poland
- son of Augustus the Strong -
He was admitted to the Austrian branch of the Order in 1721 and also became a bearer of the Danish Order of the Elephant.

Vicariate coins 1740-41 und 1745


Ducat 1740, Dresden, on the Vicariate.   Ø 21 mm, 3,48 g.  Kahnt 630; Schön 141; Friedb.2862.
Obv.:   *D.G·FRID·AUG·REX POLoniae·DUX SAXoniae·ARCHIMareschallus·& ELECTOR
Bust in armour on the right, the Order of the Golden Fleece on the breast,
the Order of the White Eagle pinned next to it.
Rev.:   *IN PROVINCIIS IVRis·SAXONici·PROVISOR & VICARIVS 1740
Nimbed but uncrowned double-headed eagle, on it crowned arms of Poland/Lithuania,
attached the Polish Order of the White Eagle, crowned heart arms of Saxony.
Translation over both sides: "... King of Poland, Duke of Saxony, Archmarshall and Elector, Imperial Vicar in the Lands of Saxon Law".
After the death of Emperor Charles VI in 1740, the Electors Charles Albrecht of Bavaria and Charles III Philip of the Palatinate had declared themselves vicars.
This ducat was minted again in 1745 on the occasion of the vicariate after the death of Emperor Albrecht VII.


10 Ducats 1741, Dresden, on the Vicariate.   Ø 45 mm, 34,80 g.
Schnee 1031; Kahnt 634; Friedb.2863.   Geprägt mit den Stempeln des Reichstalers 1741 (Dav.2669).
Obv.:   *D·G·FRID·AUG·REX POL·DUX SAX·ARCHIMARESCHALL·& ELECT·
The armored Elector with sword rides to the right, Order of the Golden Fleece and the White Eagle.
Rev.:   *IN PROVINCIIS IUR·SAXON·PROVISOR ET VICARIUS·1741·  -  Under a canopy on a stepped pedestal is a throne decorated with a double-headed eagle; scepter and orb lies on the seat.


Thaler 1745, Dresden, on the Vicariate.   Ø 45 mm.   Schnee 1031; Kahnt 632; Dav.2668.
Obv.:   *D.G.FRID:AUG:REX POLoniae·DUX SAXoniae:ARCHIMARESCHALLus·ET ELECTOR
Armored bust to the right, on the chest the Order of the Golden Fleece,
next to it the Order of the White Eagle.
Rev.:  *IN PROVINCIIS IVRis:SAXONici:PROVISOR ET VICARIVS·1745
Double-headed eagle etc. as before.
This vicarage thaler was also issued with the date 1740.


Banco-Thaler 1754, Leipzig, for Poland.   Ø 42 mm.   Schnee 1037; Kopicki 2134; Dav.1617.
Obv.:   D·G·AVGVSTVS·III·REX·POLONIARUM  -  Gekrönte Büste in Rüstung, Vliesorden am Band.
Rev.:   SACri·ROMani·IMPerii·ARCHIMareschallus·ET ELECTor·1754·
Crowned coat of arms of Poland/Lithuania between palm branches, below E.D.C. (Ernst Dietrich Croll,
mint master in Leipzig 1753-57).


Thaler 1757, Dresden.   Ø 43 mm, ca.29 g.   Schnee 1045; Dav.2674.
Yields from the Saxon mines during the occupation by Brandenburg-Prussia.
Obv.:   D:G:FRID:AUGUST:REX POL:Dux:Saxoniae:Iuliaci:Cliviae:Montium:Angariae:&Westphaliae:
Armored bust right, Golden Fleece on ribbon. Variant without a curl under the section.
Rev.:   SAC:ROM:IMP:ARCHIM:ET:ELECTOR∙1757  -  The decorated coats of arms of Poland/Lithuania and Saxony leaning against each other, crown on top. Below the coat of arms: monogram FR (Fridericus Rex, for King Frederick II the Great of Prussia), I.D.B. (Johann David Billert, mint master in Dresden 1756-60) and DER SEEGEN DES BERGBAUES "The blessing of mining".
It is astonishing that three pairs of dies were used for the comparatively small number of 6,478 pieces minted. This shows the care that was taken with these special coins. Contrary to the other Prussian practice of manipulating Saxon coins, the old imperial coin standard was followed here exactly.


60 Groschen (2 Gulden, 2 Zlote) 1760, Gdansk.   Ø 41 mm, 14,07 g.
Dutko/Such 427; Kop.7783b.
Obv.:   MON·ARGENT·CIVITAT·GEDANENSIS·1760
Two lions hold the city coat of arms, below the signature *R·E·Œ* (Rudolph Ernst Oeckermann,
mintmaster in Gdansk 1760-66), above wreath with palm and laurel branches.
Rev:   D·G·AVGVSTVS·III·REX·POLONIARVM
Crowned and armored bust to the right with a cloak and the Order of the Golden Fleece.


Thaler 1762, Dresden, essay.   Ø mm, 26,76 g.   Schnee 1046; Kahnt 540; Dav.-.
Obv.:   D:G:FRID:AUGUSTUS REX POL:EL:SAX:
Crowned and armored bust r. with a cloak and a ribbon with the Order of the Golden Fleece.
Rev.:   Crowned, quartered coat of arms (Poland/Lithuania) with the crowned coat of arms of Electoral Saxony as the central shield, surrounded by palm branches, below the date 1762.

Frederick Augustus III, 1763-1806 Elector of Saxonia, thereafter
1806-27 King Frederick Augustus I. of Saxonia
He followed his father, Elector Friedrich Christian of Saxony, when he was still a child. Until he reached the age of majority in 1768, his uncle Prince Franz Xaver acted as guardian administrator. Frederick August was elected King of Poland in 1791, but only held office as Duke of Warsaw from 1807 to 1815. In 1806 he sided with France during the Napoleonic Wars, for which he was made King of Saxony by Napoleon. He was admitted to the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1819.

Yield Convention Thaler 1824.   Ø 37 mm.   Thun 302; AKS 27; J.35.
Obv.:   FRIEDR.AUGUST KOENIG V. SACHSEN  -  Bust left with Order of the Golden Fleece.
Rev.:   ❖DER SEGEN DES BERGBAUES❖ / ZEHN EINE Feine. Mark.
Crowned Coat of Arms of Saxony between date 18 - 24.

Rietberg

John III of East Friesland, 1618-25 Count of Rietberg
John III from the house of Cirksena what the younger brother of Count Enno III. from East Friesland. He founded the Catholic branch of the Cirksena in the Westphalian county of Rietberg. In 1601 he married Sabina Catharina, who had also become a Catholic and was heiress to the County of Rietberg. She died in 1618 giving birth to her eleventh child. They reversed the Reformation in Rietberg. In 1618 John received the Order of the Golden Fleece.

Double Thaler 1621.   Ø 44 mm, 63,23 g   Dav.7319, Unikum.
Obv.:   IOAN·COmes.ET·Dominus - FRrisiae·ORientalis·ET·RITPerg·
Triple helmeted coat of arms, hung with the fleece order chain.
Rev.:   FERD·II·D·G·ELector·RO·IM·SEM·AVG·
Crowned double-headed eagle with the orb on the chest, distributed in the field 1 - 6 / 2 - 1.

Württemberg

Karl Alexander, 1733-1737 Duke of Württemberg
Karl Alexander (*1684), a successful army commander in imperial service, converted to the Catholic confession in 1712. In the War of the Spanish Succession he fought alongside Prince Eugene of Savoy. In 1721 he was awarded the Order of the Fleece. In 1733 he succeeded his cousin Eberhard Ludwig as 11th Duke of Würtemberg. Even after that he remained active for Habsburg. When he died unexpectedly in 1737, his son and successor Karl Eugen was still a minor.

30 Kreuzer 1735 FB, Stuttgart.   Rolling mill coinage.  Ø 29-30 mm, ca.7,2 g.  Klein/Raff 194.
Obv.:   CAROL ALEX: - D:G:DUX WUR&Teck  -  Armored bust right with
the Order of the Golden Fleece. Signature S (Christoph Schmelt, die cutter) on the arm section.
Rev.:   30 KREUTZER - LANDMUNZ  -  Field as next.


Carolin 1735 FB, Stuttgart.   Ø 26 mm, 9,36 g.   Klein/Raff 164; Friedb.3589.
Obv.:   CAROL:ALEX: - D:G.DUX WURT&T  -  Armored bust right with the Order of the Golden Fleece.
Rev.:   ·PER ARDUA - VIRTUS·   "through laborious virtues"
On the crowned mantle the squared coat of arms {above: Teck/Reichssturm flag; below: Mömpelgard(fish)/Heidenheim(Pagan's Head)} topped with heart arms of Württemberg (deer sticks) and chain of Fleece Order hung around it. Below date and mint master's mark .17F - B35.
The Carolin, introduced in Bavaria in 1726, was supposed to weigh 9.7 g, contain 7.5 g of gold
and be worth 10 guilders.


Ducat 1736.   Ø 21 mm, 3,48 g.   Ebner 83; Klein/Raff 187; Friedb.3587.
Obv.:   CAROL:ALEXAND:D.G.DUX WUR&T  -  Armored bust with a Fleece Order.
Rev.:   ·DUCatus: - AUREUS - WURTEM - BERG:17 -36
On a cross of rays the oval shield with the stag's spears, surrounded by four coats of arms under a prince's hat, between them the monograms CA.
These ducats were intended to demonstrate that Charles Alexander had good-quality gold coins minted in addition to masses of Carolines and their parts - the mintage of which ran into the hundreds of thousands. The mintage of these much finer and more elegant ducats, however, probably amounted to only a few hundred pieces.

Karl Eugen, 1737/44-1793 Duke of Württemberg
son of Karl Alexander
Karl Eugen (*1728) was 9 years old when his father died in 1737. He was 11 years old when he was awarded with the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1739. In 1741 he was sent to the court in Berlin for further education. 16 years old he was declared of age through the intercession of Frederick the Great in 1744.
At the beginning of his reign, Karl Eugen showed himself to be a lavish bon vivant. He later developed into a caring father of the country. He had no heirs but 77 natural sons.

Thaler 1744, Stuttgart.   Ø 40 mm, 29,06 g.   Ebner 6; Klein/Raff 261; Dav.2857A.
Obv.:   CAROLVS D G - DVX WURT & T  -  Armored, draped bust to the right,
with Fleece Order and plaited bow, V S on arm section (Veit Schrempf, die cutter).
Rev.:   PROVIDE ET - CONSTANTER  "Caring and persistent"
Crowned and richly decorated oval coat of arms surrounded by the chain of the Order of the Württemberg Crown, below S.S. (Simon Schnell, mint master) / 17 - 44.


Ducat 1790, Stuttgart.   Ø 23? mm, 3,47 g.   Ebner 269; Klein/Raff 357; Friedb.3601a.
Obv.:   CAROLVS D.G.DVX WIRT.&T.
Portrait of old age right, in coat and with Order of the Fleece on the cord.
Rev.:   PROVIDE ET - CONSTANTER  -  Crowned cartouche, coat of arms and the chain of
the Order of the Württemberg Crown, on the sides the initials F.H. - C.H. of the guardian
and the mint master Friedrich and Christian Heuglin respectively.

Ludwig Eugen, 1793-1795 Duke of Württemberg
Ludwig Eugen (*1731) succeeded his brother Karl Eugen on the ducal throne in 1793. Both were minors at the Prussian court in 1741. In 1743, Ludwig Eugen was given command of a regiment in Prussia. In 1749 he entered the military service of Louis XV of France and in 1757 he joined the Austrian army. On taking office in Württemberg in 1793, he received the Order of the Fleece. After Ludwig Eugen's death, he was succeeded in 1795 by his younger brother, who did not become a recipient of the Order of the Fleece.

Ducat 1794.   Ø 20? mm, 3,52 g.   Ebner 1; Klein/Raff 454a; Friedb.3604.
Both sides with two orders as bellow.


Conv.-Thaler 1794, Stuttgart.   Ø 39,5-41 mm, 28,03 g.   Klein/Raff 455; Dav.2872.
Obv.:   LUDOV.EUGEN.D.G.DUX WIRTEMB & T   -   Bust right, with wig, uniform,
Fleece Order on the breast, Order of the Württemberg Crown at the arm section.
Rev.:   PRO MAXIMA DEI GLORIA ET BONO PUBLICO.
"For the greatest glory of God and the good of the people"
7-field coat of arms, surrounded by the chains of the Order of the Württemberg Crown and the
Order of the Golden Fleece. Below the date the initials F.H. - C.H. of the guardian and
mint master Friedrich and Christian Heuglin respectively.
Here the coat of arms is increased by the fields 4 (Limpurg) and 6 (Justingen).


Continuation to Part 2c :  Italy, Spain, ..., Transylvania

Overview
Order of the Golden Fleece on coins and medals
1. Sovereigns of the Order
Part 1a :   Philip the Good - Emperor Charles V
Part 1b :  King Philip II - Spanish / Austrian branch
2. Appointed knights
Part 2a :  Baden, Bavaria, Brunswick & Lueneburg,
Palatinate, Palatinate-Neuburg, Palatinate-Bavaria, Fürstenberg
Part 2b :  Poland, Saxony, Rietberg, Wuerttemberg
Part 2c :  Italy, Spain, ..., Transylvania
Part 2d :  Austrian new princes

Start page Varia