At a time when the mints of the Republic were sporadically minting single-coin coins, northern Germany began producing giants - striking multi-coin coins such as this Juliuslöser.
Its name comes from the Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel - Julius (Löser is the term for a commemorative/award coin). This gifted politician took the throne after his father's death in 1568 and became famous for his numerous reforms to strengthen the duchy's economy. He supported mining and metallurgical ventures, searched for new deposits of raw materials, and developed the communications network.
In addition to his reforms, he also left behind coins that were unusual for the time - multi-totalars. According to the Museum of Lower Saxony, these very rare numismatic coins probably served as prizes and gifts for officials and important people from the prince's entourage.
The present piece dates from 1576 and is one of the oldest Lösers of this ruler. The stamps were prepared in such a way that they could be used for prints of different weights. In two places on the reverse (in the imperial apple and in the inner rim after the word WERT - "value"), a field was left in which the denomination was punched with a punch - in this case the numeral 5.
Rarity.
First time at auction in Poland. Only four pieces listed in the international Coinarchives database (last listing 17,000 euros + fee), of which only one with the denomination specified as 5 (the others as 2½).
The highest and only piece with a note in the NGC.
Reign: Julius (1568-1589).
Mint: Heinrichstadt (Wolfenbüttel).
Obverse: armed bust in helmet, with battle axe and sword, flanked by the date 1576. In the quadruple border personifications of the seven planets, signs of the zodiac and two lines of inscriptions: VON G IVLIVS HERTZ ZV BRVNSWIG V LVNEBVRG GOTTES VERSEHN. MUS. GESCHEHEN *** /.
O HER BEHVT MIR NICHT MEHR DAN SEEL LEIB. VNDT EHR ***.
Reverse: quadruple shield of coat of arms with helmet and jewel, supported by two wild men (one with light, the other with imperial sceptre). In the quadruple border personifications of the seven planets, signs of the zodiac and two lines of inscriptions: NEWE MVNTZ GEPREGE ZV HEINRICH STADT NACH DES REICHS SCHROT VND KORN GENANDT * / BRVNSWIGS IVLIVS. LOESER. AM WERT (5) TALER ALIIS INSERVIENDO CONSVMOR *.
