South German Gulden: A Numismatic Overview

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The South German gulden is a fascinating coin that's steeped in history. It was introduced in the 16th century as a response to the rising value of the Holy Roman Empire's gulden.

The coin was initially used in the Holy Roman Empire's southern territories, but it eventually spread to other parts of the region. Its value was pegged to the gold standard, with a fixed amount of gold backing each coin.

The South German gulden was minted in various cities, each with its own unique style and design. The coins often featured the city's coat of arms or other local symbols.

History

The South German gulden has a rich history that dates back to the 13th century. It was first introduced in the Free City of Lübeck in 1252.

The gulden quickly gained popularity and was adopted by other cities in the region, becoming a widely accepted currency. It was used for trade and commerce, and its value was pegged to the value of silver.

Credit: youtube.com, Germany German States Frankfurt 2 Gulden 1848 Archduke Johann Silver

The South German gulden was also used as a unit of account, meaning it was used to calculate prices and debts. This made it a crucial part of the regional economy.

In the 16th century, the gulden was replaced by the Reichsthaler, but it continued to be used in some areas until the 19th century.

The Initial Situation and Coin Values

In the late 18th century, German territorial states minted their own coins according to various weight standards.

The Cologne mark, a weight unit that corresponded to about 234 grams of silver, had been at the center of this weight system since the Middle Ages.

Prussia had introduced a standard of 14 talers in 1750, according to which 14 talers were minted from 234 grams of fine silver.

The Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha took a different approach, minting 10 talers from one Cologne mark of silver, which corresponded to 14 Prussian talers regarding their precious metal content.

Credit: youtube.com, Silver Coin from Bavaria: 1 Gulden 1844

The konventionstaler established itself in large parts of southern and western Germany, including the Saxon duchies, with the legend "ZEHN EINE MARK FEIN" (ten of one fine mark) indicating its weight standard.

The value of every taler was measured in gulden, but since the price of silver was constantly changing, the value of the taler changed too.

Merchants faced the problem of calculating the exchange rate between the gulden of account and the Prussian taler.

The Coinage Treaty of 1753 laid down requirements for the taler that made it easy to calculate its value in the gulden currency.

Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Ernest I, introduced a konventionstaler in 1835, which established the gulden as the main currency of account in southern Germany.

The konventionstaler was worth 3 1/2 gulden regarding the southern German standard of 24.5 gulden per mark.

This new exchange rate was underpinned by a new currency money coin that was accepted in the entire region of the customs union.

The double taler of 1843 is an example of such a vereinsmünze (union coin), with the reverse legend mentioning two face values: "2 THALER VII EINE F. MARK 3 ½ GULDEN".

South German Gulden

Credit: youtube.com, New Ulm Stories: Jerry Gulden

The South German Gulden was the currency of southern Germany between 1754 and 1873.

It's worth noting that the Gulden was also sometimes referred to as the florin.

The Gulden was used in various southern German states, including Bavaria, Baden, Württemberg, Frankfurt, and Hohenzollern.

South German Gulden

The South German Gulden was the currency of southern Germany between 1754 and 1873.

It was also sometimes referred to as florin. The states that used this currency included Bavaria, Baden, Württemberg, Frankfurt, and Hohenzollern.

In 1754, the Conventionsthaler was introduced, and soon after, various southern German states introduced the Kreuzer Landmünze, which was worth 1/144 of a Conventionsthaler.

For accounting purposes, there was a Gulden of 60 Kreuzer Landmünze, which was worth 5/12 of a Conventionsthaler.

In 1837, the southern states of Germany formed a currency union and adopted the Gulden of 60 Kreuzer as the unit of currency, slightly debased to 1/24½ of a Cologne mark of silver.

Coins were issued in denominations of half Gulden, one Gulden, one Thaler, and Two Thaler (also denominated as 3½ Gulden), together with smaller pieces.

The southern German Gulden was withdrawn following German unification and decimalization, with one Mark being equal to 35 Kreuzer.

Words on Bavarian Gulden

Credit: youtube.com, Lot 685 German States Bavaria 1 Gulden 1842

The Bavarian Gulden has a rich history, and understanding its related words can help you better grasp its significance. The top 4 words related to Bavarian Gulden are south german gulden, conventionsthaler, kreuzer, and kingdom of bavaria.

You can get the definition of each word by tapping the question-mark icon next to it. The words at the top of the list are the most associated with Bavarian Gulden, and as you go down the list, the relatedness becomes more slight.

The list of related words is sorted by relevance/relatedness by default, but you can also sort it alphabetically or filter it to show only words related to another word of your choice. For example, you could enter "south german gulden" and click "filter" to get words that are related to both Bavarian Gulden and South German Gulden.

The frequency of each word's occurrence in written English can be highlighted using the menu below, which is updated regularly from the English Wikipedia corpus. If you're looking for synonyms, you might not need this feature, but it can be useful for building a vocabulary list or finding related concepts.

Credit: youtube.com, Lot 1495 German States Bavaria 2 Gulden 1855

Here are the top 4 words related to Bavarian Gulden, along with their frequency of occurrence in written English:

  • south german gulden (high frequency)
  • conventionsthaler (medium frequency)
  • kreuzer (medium frequency)
  • kingdom of bavaria (low frequency)

Keep in mind that many of the words on this list have relationships with Bavarian Gulden beyond being synonyms, so you might see words with opposite meanings or other types of connections.

Numismatics

The South German gulden was used in Liechtenstein from 1857 to 1867. It was replaced by the Austro-Hungarian gulden in 1867.

The South German gulden was divided into 240 Pfennig, 60 Kreuzer, 1 Gulden, and 2/3 Thaler. It's interesting to note that this currency system was also used in other parts of Germany during this time period.

The South German gulden was used in Liechtenstein for a decade before it was replaced by the Austro-Hungarian gulden. This change in currency likely had a significant impact on the local economy and trade.

Here's a brief overview of the currencies used in Liechtenstein:

The South German gulden was eventually replaced by the Austro-Hungarian krone, which was used in Liechtenstein until 1921.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a gulden equivalent to?

A gulden is equivalent to 20 stuiver or 32.6 grams of fine silver, and also comparable to the French livre parisis. It's also equivalent to the gold florin, weighing approximately 3.5 grams.

Where does the word gulden come from?

The word "gulden" originates from Middle High German and Middle Dutch, where it referred to a gold coin, literally translating to "golden penny" or "golden florin". This term eventually became the standard name for a gold coin in German and Dutch.

Anna Durgan

Junior Assigning Editor

Anna Durgan is a seasoned Assigning Editor with a passion for guiding writers in crafting compelling stories that educate and inform readers. With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the publishing industry, Anna has honed her skills in assigning and editing articles on a range of topics. Anna's expertise lies in managing complex editorial projects, from researching and assigning articles to ensuring timely publication.

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