Frankfurt meeting

Assembly of Princes -- Frankfurt-on-the-Main 1863

(Larger image here)

This project was inspired by the photograph which dominates the top of the page. (scroll over faces for details)

This remarkable assemblage was gathered on 1st September 1863 at Frankfurt-on-the-Main. Called by the Emperor of Austria to try and both influence the formation of the German conferadation and curb Prussia's (the second most powerful nation within the confederation at the time) growing power. Prussia is notably absent from the gathering. A summary of events can be read here . In the picture there are:

1 Emperor
3 Kings
6 Grand Dukes
4 Dukes
9 Princes
1 Elector
4 Free City Mayors

The vast majority of these rulers issued coins with most of them issuing the 1 thaler piece, a common "bullion" coin of the time. My project is to collect a coin for each ruler and to put a coin image beside that of the representative at the meeting in the table below.

Not every space will be filled in the appropriate way. While Freidrich I from Anhalt-Dessau did have coins issued bearing his image they were unfortunately not the thaler nor the 3 Mark Piece. An example of his father Leopold IV will suffice which is somewhat fitting as he was actually still alive at the time of the photograph. Additionally the city of Hamburg did not issue the 1 thaler coin at all so a different demonation will have to act as a representative coin. The 1 thaler coin from Liechenstein is very rare and expensive but thankfully Prince Franz Joseph II authorised a restrike in 1968 and I have been able to obtain one of these.

The Mayors of the four free citys do not, of course issue coins in their name but it should still be possible to obtain a representative type that would have been used at the time. The City of Lubeck did not issue a thaler at the time of this meeting, though it did in the later part of the previous century and it issued 3 Mark coins in the early 20th Century.

It is only Prince Henry of the Netherlands for which no truely suitable coin can be inserted. In his role as "Governor of Luxemburg" he issued no coins at all - However I have used the best example of a Luxemburg 10 Centimes of the time that I have. Indeed, it's amazing to think that out of the 28 individuals in this photograph only 5 did not have their image on a coin.

The rulers are notionally numbered 1 to 28 from left to right. It is worth noting that the order of precedence of these rulers is complex, refering as much to family history as to current title. A summary table can be seen here .

Additionally
Other silver crown sized coins here ,
Other silver minor world coins here ,
Indian rupees here ,
Indian Silver Minor Coins here ,
Indian Copper Coins here ,
British India Collection here ,
Indian Mughal mints identification help list here ,
Medieval penny type coins here ,
Roman coins here ,
Modern Silver Egyptian coins here ,
50 pence coins here ,
£20 coins here ,
Czechoslavakia / Czech Republic silver coins here ,
Other coins list here
a table showing the rulers of Europe and representative coins I have for them can be seen here (warning- large page),

I hope this is of interest.

Malcolm Megaw ©

Rulers from left to right

Details	Ruler	Image
Ernst II - Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha 1852 Thaler Ob. ERNST HERZOG ZU SACHSEN COBURG-GOTHA Rev. EIN THALER XXX EINE F.M. Edge: NACH DER CONVENTION VOM 30 IULY 1838 mm 22.2700g KM mintage 8,000 Dresden mint Engraver: Gustav Theodor Fischer
Leopold IV - Anhalt 1870 Thaler Ob. LEOPOLD FRIEDRICH HERZOG VON ANHALT Rev. HERZOGTHUM ANHALT GETHEILT 1603 VEREINT 1863 EIN THALER 30 EIN PF.F. Edge: GOTT SEGNE ANHALT 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 15 mintage 50,000 Berlin mint Engraver:
Friedrich Franz II - Mecklenburg Scherwin 1864 Thaler Ob. FRIEDRICH FRANZ V. G. G. GROSSH. MECKLENG. SCHW. Rev. EIN THALER XXX EIN PF. F. 1864 Edge: PER AIPERA AD ASTRA 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM A310 mintage 100,000 Berlin mint Engraver:
Friedrich Wilhelm - Mecklenburg-Strelitz 1870 Thaler Ob. FRIEDRICH WILH. V. G. G. GROSSH. V. MECKLEMB. STRL Rev. EIN VEREINSTHALER XXX EIN PF. F. Edge: GOTT SCHIRME MECKLENBURG 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM mintage 50,000 Berlin mint Engraver:
Adolph Georg - Schaumburg-Lippe 1870 Thaler Ob. ADOLP GEORG FURST ZU SCHAMBURG-LIPPE Rev. EIN VEREINSTHALER XXX EIN PFUND FEIN Edge: WIENER MUNZVERTRAE JAN 1857 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM mintage 7,000 Hannover mint Engraver:
Dr. Müller - Frankfurt 1863 Thaler Ob. FREIE STADT FRANKFURT EIN GEDENKTHALER Rev. FURSTENTAG ZU FRANKFURT AM MAIN IM AUGUST 1863 Edge: STARM EM RECHT 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM mintage 20,000 Frankfrut mint Engraver:
Karl Alexander - Grand Duke of Sachsen-Weimar 1858 Thaler Ob. CARL ALEXANDER GROSSHERZOG VON SACHEN Rev. EIN VEREINSTHALER XXX EIN PFUND FEIN Edge: GOTT UND RECHT 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 93 mintage 63,000 Frankfrut mint Engraver:
Johann - King of Saxony 1859 Thaler Ob. CARL ALEXANDER GROSSHERZOG VON SACHEN Rev. EIN VEREINSTHALER XXX EIN PFUND FEIN Edge: GOTT UND RECHT 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 1199 mintage 2,490,000 mint Engraver:
Peter - Grand Duke of Oldenburg 1866 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 196 mintage 72,000 mint Engraver:
Maximilian Joseph II - King of Bavaria 1861 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 468 mintage 2,682,000 mint Engraver:
Dr. Roeck - Mayor of Lübeck 1861 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 168.2 mintage 33,334 mint Engraver:
Heinrich XIV - Hereditary Prince of Reuss-Schleiz 1868 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 73 mintage 14,000 mint Engraver:
Franz-Joseph I - Emperor of Austria-Hungary 1859 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 2244 mintage 4,949,000 mint Engraver:
Heinrich - Prince of The Netherlands 1855 10 Centimes Ob. Rev. Edge: 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 2244 mintage 1,200,000 mint Engraver:
Dr. Haller - Mayor of Hamburg 1909 3 Mark Ob. Rev. Edge: 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 620 mintage 1,388,892 mint Engraver:
Georg V - King of Hannover 1859 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 220 mintage 736,000 mint Engraver:
Georg Victor - King of Hannover 1859 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 135 mintage 14,000 mint Engraver:
Friedrich Wilhelm I - Elector of Hessen 1859 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 621 mintage 28,000 mint Engraver:
Freidrich Günther - Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt 1859 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 177 mintage 17,000 mint Engraver:
Johann II - Prince of Liechtenstein 1862 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 1 mintage 17,000 mint Engraver:
Bernhard II - Duke of Sachsen-Meiningen 1859 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 167 mintage 40,000 mint Engraver:
Günther Friedrich Carl II - Prince of Schwarzburg-Sonderhausen 1859 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 148 mintage 10,400 Arnstadt mint Engraver:
Arnold Duckwitz - Mayor of Bremen 1865 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 246 mintage 50,000 Arnstadt mint Engraver:
Frederick Wilhelm Ludwig - Grand Duke of Baden 1869 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 240 mintage 288,760 Arnstadt mint Engraver:
Adolf Wilhelm - Duke of Nassau 1869 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 80 mintage 6,162 Arnstadt mint Engraver:
Wilhelm - Duke of Brunswick 1866 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 1152 mintage 107,000 mint Engraver:
Ludwig III - Grand Duke of Hessen-Darmstadt 1866 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 338 mintage 594,000 mint Engraver:
Karl Frederick Alexander - Crown Prince of Wurttemberg 1866 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: 33 mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 620 mintage 114,000 mint Engraver:

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Who didn't attend?

There were a number of rulers of the Confederation who either didn't attend nor sent a deputy or could have attended but did send a deputy. For completeness I have listed these below and while I intend to get a representative coin for each of them, that objective is secondary. There were 7 territories that sent no representative, and 3 which did send a deputy. Wurttemberg and Reuss-Schleiz sent deputies for elderly rulers but the story for Anhalt is more complicated. Alexander Carl, Duke of Anhalt Bernburg died only days before the meeting but he would have been the one to recieve the invitation from Franz-Joseph I to attend so I have included him. His successor (Leopold IV) did not attend either, but likely there was not enough time to organise his place as he was only elevated days before, but he did qualify so I have included him also. In the event it was actually Friedrich I, his son, who attended in his stead and as he never issued a 1 thaler coin or a 3 Mark coin I have had to use his fathers coin in the main table. He did issue a very expensive 2 mark coin which I may use at a later date.

Details	Ruler	Image
Wilhelm I - King of Prussia 1861 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: mm 22.2700g KM 488 mintage 1,000,000 mint Engraver:
Wilhelm I - King of Prussia 1871 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: mm 22.2700g KM 500 mintage 1,000,000 mint Engraver:
Frederick VII - King of Denmark 1855 2 Rigsdaler Ob. Rev. Edge: mm 22.2700g KM 761.2 mintage mint Engraver:
Heinrich XXII - Prince of Reuss elder line 1868 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: mm 22.2700g KM 120 mintage 7,100 mint Engraver:
Leopold III - Prince of Lippe-Detmold 1860 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: mm 22.2700g KM 267 mintage 26,000 mint Engraver:
Alexander Carl - Duke of Anhalt Bernburg 1859 Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: mm 22.2700g KM 86 mintage 50,000 mint Engraver:
Leopold IV - Duke of Anhalt 1863 Thaler Ob. LEOPOLD FRIEDRICH HERZOG VON ANHALT Rev. HERZOGTHUM ANHALT GETHEILT 1603 VEREINT 1863 EIN THALER 30 EIN PF.F Edge: GOTT SEGNE ANHALT 33mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 15 mintage 50,000 mint: Berlin Engraver:
Ernst I- Sachsen-Altenburg 1869 Thaler Ob. ERNST HERZOG VON SACHSEN ALTENBURG Rev.EIN VERINSTHALER XXX EIN PFUND FEIN Edge: 33mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 16 mintage 50,000 mint Engraver:
Ferdinand - Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg 1862 Thaler Ob.FERDINAND SOUV. LANDGRAF Z. HESSEN Rev. EIN VEREINSTHALER XXX EIN PFUND FEIN Edge: mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 20 mintage 6,592 mint Engraver:
William I - King of Württemberg Thaler Ob. Rev. Edge: mm g KM mintage mint Engraver:		To be added
Heinrich LXVII - Prince of Reuss-Schleiz 1862 Thaler Ob. HEINRICH LXVII V.G.G.REG. FURST REUSS I.L. Rev. EIN VEREINSTHALER XXX EIN PFUND FEIN Edge: MUNZVERTAG VOM 24 JANUAR 1857 mm 18.520g (0.9000) KM 20 mintage 10,000 mint: Berlin Engraver:

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Other Austria/German large silver coins

Over time, the thaler (taler) denomination was discontinued, though the 3 mark denomination, similar in size, was considered it's successor.

Details	Ruler	Image
Fredrich Wilhelm III - King of Prussia 1818 Thaler Ob. FRIEDR. WILHELM III KOENIG VON PREUSSEN Rev. EIN THALER Edge: GOTT MIT UNS mm 22.2700g (0.7500) KM 396 mintage mint: Berlin Engraver:
Fredrich Wilhelm III - King of Prussia 1829 Thaler Ob. FRIEDR. WILHELM III KOENIG V. PREUSSEN Rev.EIN THALER. XIV. EINE FEINE MARK / SEGEN DES / MANSFELDER / BERGBAUS Edge: GOTT MIT UNS mm 22.2700g (0.7500) KM 396 mintage: 50,000 mint: Berlin Engraver:
Fredrich Wilhelm IV - King of Prussia 1855 Thaler Ob. FRIEDR WILHELM IV KOENIG V. PREUSSEN Rev. EIN THALERXIV EINE F. M. REICH DREI MARK Edge: GOTT MIT UNS mm 22.2700g KM 455 mintage: 7,300,000 mint: Berlin Engraver:
Wilhelm II - King of Prussia 1913 3 Mark Ob.WILHELM II DEUTCHER KAISER KONIG VON PREUSSEN Rev. DEUTCHES REICH DREI MARK Edge: GOTT MIT UNS 33mm 16.67g KM 535 mintage: 1,000,000 mint: Berlin Engraver:
Ludwig II - King of Bavaria 1913 3 Mark Ob. LVDOVICVS II BAVARIAE REX Rev. PATRONA BAVARIAE Edge: XXX * EIN * PFUND * FEIN * - * mm 18.52g KM 877 mintage: 100,000 mint: Munich Engraver: Carl Friedrich Voigt
Otto - King of Bavaria 1910 3 Mark Ob.OTTO KOENIG VON BAYEN Rev. DEUTCHES REICH DREI MARK Edge: GOTT MIT UNS 33 mm 16.67g KM 515 mintage: 717,460 mint: Munich Engraver:
Luitpold - Prince Regent of Bavaria 1913 3 Mark Ob.LVITPOLD PRINZ REGENT V. BAYERN Rev.DEUTCHES REICH DREI MARK Edge: GOTT MIT UNS 33mm 16.67g KM 998 mintage: 639,721 mint: Munich Engraver:
Ludwig III - Prince Regent of Bavaria 1914 3 Mark Ob.LUDWIG III KOENIG VON BAYEN Rev. DEUTCHES REICH DREI MARK Edge: GOTT MIT UNS mm 16.67g KM 515 mintage: 717,460 mint: Munich Engraver:
Frederick II - Grand Duke of Baden 1909 3 Mark Ob.FREDRICH II GROSSHERZOG VON BADEN Rev. DEUTCHES REICH DREI MARK Edge: mm 16.67g (0.9000) KM 515 mintage: 753,000 mint Engraver:
William II - King of Württemberg 1909 3 Mark Ob. WILHELM II KONEIG VON WUERTTEMBERG Rev.DEUTCHES REICH DREI MARK Edge: GOTT MIT UNS mm 16.67g (0.9000) KM 515 mintage: 1,906,698 mint: Freudenstadt Engraver:
Francis II - Emperor of Austria 1795 Kronenthaler Ob.FRANCISC II D.G.R.I.S.A GER. HIE. HVN. BOH. REX Rev. ARCH. AVST. DVX. BVRG. LOTH. BRAB. COM. FLAN Edge: LEGE ET FIDE mm 29.40g (0.8730) KM 293 mintage: 1,906,698 mint Engraver: Théodore van Bercke
Frederick Augustus III - King of Saxony 1914 3 Mark Ob.FRIEDRICH AUGUST KOENIG V. SACHESEN Rev. DEUTCHES REICH 1913 DREI MARK Edge: GOTT MIT UNS mm 16.67g (0.9000) KM 1267 mintage: 307,000 mint: Muldenhutten Engraver:
Heinrich XX - Prince of Reuss Greiz 1858 Thaler Ob. HEINRICH XX V.G.G.AELT. L. SOUV. FURST REUSS Rev. EIN VEREINSTHALER XXX EIN PFUND FEIN Edge: OMNIA CUM DEO mm 18.52g (0.9000) KM 1267 mintage: 9,500 mint: Berlin Engraver:
Ernst August - King of Hannover 1851 Thaler Ob. ERNST AUGUST KOENIG VON HANNOVER Rev. BERGSEGEN DES HARZES above crown EIN THALER XIV EINE F. M. Edge: mm 16.67g (0.9930) KM 1267 mintage: 453,000 mint: Hannover Engraver:
Ernst Ludwig - Grand Duke of Hesse 1910 3 Mark Ob. ERNST LUDWIG GROSSHERZOG VON HESSEN Rev. DEUTCHES REICH 1910 DREI MARK Edge: GOTT MIT UNS 33mm 16.67g (0.9000) KM 1267 mintage: 200,000 mint Engraver:

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