Description
Germany, Brandenburg-Prussia, Frederick of the House of Hohenzollern, Elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg (as Frederick III) and Duke of Prussia 1688-1701 AD, Silver 2/3 Thaler (17.15g, 36mm), 1690 LCS, Berlin mint, struck under mint master Lorenz Christoph Schneider. Obverse: Bare-headed and cuirassed bust of Frederick III facing to the right, his hair long and flowing down and wearing a cuirass with floral decorations at chest, legend surrounds, “FRIDER· III· D.G. M· B. S. R· I· A·C & EL·”. Reverse: Abbreviated Shield of Arms of the unified Brandenburg-Prussia under Frederick III, extended below to incorporate the mark of value “2/3”, and surmounted by Royal Crown, mint master’s initials “LCS” to field either side, date to left of crown, legend surrounds, “MONETA· NOVA· BRANDENB·”. KM-556 (similar, bust variation); Davenport-270 (similar). A notoriously complicated series due to its large variety of bust types and legend differences, the offered example features an elaborate floral-designed cuirass and a portrait engraved in quite fine style, despite the obverse die cud, an evenly worn and attractive piece, Very Fine.
The obverse Latin legend reads “Friderīcus Tertius, Deī Grātiā, Marchiō Brandenburgensis, Sacrī Romani imperiī Archīcamerārius et Elector”, with an English translation of “Frederick the Third, by the Grace of God, Marquis of Brandenburg, Arch-Chamberlain and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire”. The reverse Latin legend reads “monēta nova Brandenburgensis”, with an English translation of “New money/coinage of Brandenburg”.