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Imperial city of Isny
Isny in the Allgäu became an imperial city in 1365. The mint right, conceded in 1507, was sustained until 1702. In 1806 Isny and its 2000 inhabitants fell to Württemberg.   Isny´s arms refer to its name, "Isen" meaning iron or horseshoe. Emperor Frederic III. enlarged the arms "with a crowned eagle presenting its tongue ...". Emperor Maximilian I. granted the town the right to mint coins in 1507, which was exercised in 1508-55 and only sporadically thereafter (1622/23 and 1695). The thalers of 1538 and 1540 show the hip portrait of Charles V on the reverse. The next issue of thalers from 1554 had to do without the emperor's portrait in order to comply with the minting regulations.


Thaler 1538, Isny.     Ø 42 mm, 28,54 g.   Nau 252; Dav.9319.
Obv.:   (mm.) SVB VMBRA ALARVm:TVARVm:ABSTrude:ME
"In the shadow of Thy wings I take refuge"
inner legend :   MOneta:CIVITATIS· - ·ISNENSIS:I538
field :   city arms (crowned eagle with tongue and a horseshoe on the breast)
Rev.:   +REDDITE QVAE SVNt:CAEsaris:CAEsari:Et:Quae:DEi:DEo
"Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's"
inner legend :   KAROLVS·V· - ROmanorum:IMperator· - AVgustus
field :   crowned emperor in armor with sceptre, sword grip and order of the Golden Fleece

Find the small difference in the legend on the obverse of the next piece:


Thaler 1538, Isny.     Ø 42 mm, 28,6 g.   Nau 256; Dav.9319.
Obv.:   (mm.) SVB·VMBRA·ALARV:TVARV:ABSC:ME  |  MO:CIVITATIS· - ·ISNENSIS:I538·
Rev.:   +REDDITE·QVAE·SVN:CAE:CAE:E:Q:DE:DE  |  KAROLVS·V· - RO:IM· - AV·


Double thaler 1540, Isny.     Ø 41 mm, 56,5 g.   Nau 257; Dav.9320.
Obv.:   (mm.) SVB·VMBRA·ALARVM:TVARV:ABSCO:ME  |  MONETA·CIVITAT - IS·ISNENSIS·I540
Rev.:   +REDDITE·QVAE·SVN:CAE:CAE:E:Q:DE:DE  |  KAROLVS·V· - RO:IM· - A - V

Ref. :
• Elisabeth Nau,   Die Münzen und Medaillen der oberschwäbischen Städte,   Freiburg 1964.
• Otto Lanz,   Münz- und Geldgeschichte von Isny in: Württ. Vierteljahresheften für Landesgeschichte
  NF 35 (1929) 99-203 & 4 tab.

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