Description
Holy Roman Empire, Electorate of Saxony, Johann Georg I of the Albertine Line of the House of Wettin, Arch-Marshal and Prince-Elector of the Electorate of Saxony 1611-1656 AD, with his younger brother Augustus, Silver Reichsthaler Specie (28.84g, 42.5mm), 1614, Dresden mint. Obverse: Half-length bust of Elector Johann Georg I facing to the right, bare-headed and adorned in decorative armour and drapery and holding electoral sword in right hand and plumed helmet with open visor in left, date to field either side, all within inner lined and roped border, Coat of Arms of the Electorate of Saxony within ornate mantle below, legend beginning with initial mark ‘globus cruciger’ surrounds, “IOHAN: GEORG: D:G: SA· RO: IMP. ARCHIM· ELE:”. Reverse: Third-length bust of Augustus of Saxony facing to the right, bare-headed and wearing decorative armour and drapery, inner roped border and legend beginning with initial mark ‘swan’ surrounds, “ET AVGVST· FR· E· D: S: I: C· E· M”, outer roped border and border of Shields of Arms surrounds. Davenport (ST)-7573; KM-44. Awash with a charming steel grey patina, fairly evenly worn and of typical bold design, the reverse with a striking portrait of Augustus, details overall Very Fine.
The obverse Latin legend reads unabridged as “Iōhannēs Geōrgius, Deī grātiā, sacrī Rōmānī imperiī Archimarescallus [et] ēlēctor”, with an English translation of “John George, by the grace of God, Arch Marshal [and] elector of the Holy Roman Empire”. The reverse continues the obverse legend and reads unabridged as “et Augustus, frātrēs et ducēs Saxōniae, Iuliaci, Clīviae et Montium”, with an English translation of “and Augustus, brothers and dukes of Saxony, Jülich, Cleves and Berg”.
