bavarikon4UEarly modern coins and medals of Bavarian cities until 1806
From the end of the Middle Ages to the end of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, many imperial cities had the right to mint their own coins. In addition to the smaller imperial cities, extensive minting series could mainly be found in Augsburg, Nuremberg and Regensburg. This is also reflected in the collection at the Staatliche Münzsammlung München.
Not only coins, but also medals were minted. The transitions in terms of weight, material and design were often fluid. Medals, for example, often have a thaler or half thaler weight. In addition though, individual front or back dies were used for both medal and coin minting. Cities that did not have imperial immediacy and their own right to mint coins, including the capital and residence city of Munich, were at least able to mint medals. As with the imperial cities' medallions, there were various suitable occasions. Protestant secular celebrations were among the most popular: the focus was on the anniversaries of the beginning of the Reformation in 1517, the Augsburg Confession in 1530 and the Augsburg Religious Peace in 1555. The horrors that the Thirty Years' War left behind in Central Europe become clear not least from the numismatic coins used across the Empire in 1648 on the occasion of the Peace of Westphalia. In addition, medals were also minted and issued on the occasion of laying foundation stones, renovations or important events. Medals were minted at regular intervals, for example, at the Stückschießen in Nuremberg or at the Reichstag meeting in Regensburg. The arrival of the emperor in the respective city was often accompanied by numismatic coins.
The design of municipal coins brings the city itself to the fore as the numismatic mistress. Mostly through the city coat of arms, occasionally by the depiction of a city goddess or a (city) saint. Often you will also find views of the city as a veduta. On the other side, the illustration of the double eagle and/or the illustration or naming of the head of the empire illustrates the close ties between the imperial cities and the empire. The end of the empire in 1806 and the mediatisation that had already begun before also meant the end of the imperial city development in Bavaria. Augsburg fell to the Kingdom of Bavaria in 1805 and Nuremberg finally fell in 1806. The issue of coins from this point on was the sole responsibility of the Bavarian monarchs.
The other part collections of "Coins, medals and coin-like objects from Bavaria, Franconia, Swabia and the Palatinate in modern times" available on bavarikon
- Coins and medals of the Bavarian line of Haus Wittelsbach from early modern times to the 20th century (in preparation)
- Coin and medal minting of dioceses and (old) princes in Old Bavaria, Franconia and Swabia
- Medals of the cities and municipalities in Bavaria from 1806
- Bavarian Mayor Medals
- Bavarian Pilgrimage Medals from six centuries
- Emergency coins in Bavaria from 1916-1922
- Bavarian modern age tokens and badges
- Nürnberger Rechenpfennige (Nuremberg Jeton)
>> This collection is part of the holdings of "Coins, medals and coin-like objects from Bavaria, Franconia, Swabia and the Palatinate in modern times" of the Staatliche Münzsammlung München (State Coin Collection Munich).