Marie Theresa Thaler 1780 – Silver Trade Coin Restrike
All GEF – BU
Obverse
Right facing portrait of Empress Maria Theresia of habsburg surrounded by the legend “Maria Theresia, Dei Gratia, Romanorum Imperatrix, Hungariae Bohemiaeque Regina”.
Lettering:
M·THERESIA·D·G· R·IMP·HU·BO·REG·
S·F·
Translation: Maria-Theresia, by the Grace of God, Roman Empress, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia
Reverse
Imperial double-headed eagle with the arms of Austria at the centre, surrounded by four quarters representing Hungary, Bohemia, Burgundy and Burgau (Günzburg). Legend around “Archidux Austriae, Dux Burgundiae, Comes Tyrolis”.
Lettering: ARCHID·AVST·DUX· BURG·CO·TYR·1780·X
Translation: Archduchess of Austria, duchess of Burgundy, comtess of Tyrol
Edge
Inscripted
Lettering: IUSTITIA ET CLEMENTIA
Translation: Justice and Mercy
The Maria Theresa Thaler follows the Conventionsthaler standard of 1750, with a gross weight of one tenth of a Vienna mark of silver, 5/6 fine. The fine silver content was of one tenth of a Cologne mark (5 Vienna marks = 6 Cologne marks).
ASW: .7516 oz / 23.39 grams / 0.1 Cologne mark / 0.833 Vienna marks.
The Maria Theresa Thaler was originally struck in Austria between 1740 and 1780. It was the circulating currency of the Holy Roman Empire and its dominions and it was one of the most important trade coins in Europe and in the world. Since the death of Maria Theresa in 1780, the coin has always been dated 1780. It has been continuously minted in various mints around the world: Birmingham, Bombay, Brussels, London, Paris, Rome and Utrecht, in addition to the Habsburg mints in Günzburg, Hall, Karlsburg, Kremnica, Milan, Prague, and Vienna. It is estimated that until 2000, 389 million pieces were minted. As of 2019, it is still sold by the Vienna mint https://www.muenzeoesterreich.at/produkte/maria-theresien-taler
There are over 150 different major variants, and virtually all dies produced before 1850 had minor differences. Subtle differences in design, style and lettering allow to determine at least partly the date and the mint. Some variations are very rare, with 10 pieces or less being known to exist.
Along with the Spanish 8 Reales coin, it was the basis of the silver dollar which was adopted by the then fledgling United States under the Mint Act of 1792. The word “dollar” is derived from the German word “Thaler/Taler”. Also known as the Levant dollar, it also circulated as trade coinage in the Arab world (especially in Saudi Arabia, the Yemen, Syria, Muscat and Oman), in Africa (especially in Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique), in India and Indonesia. It remains in circulation to this day in conflict areas in the Middle East and Africa.