Leslie Massey
The Maria Theresa Thaler is one of the world's most famous and well-known coins. It was originally struck in Austria between 1740 or 1741 and 1780, and it served as the currency of the Austrian Empire and the Holy Roman Empire. After the death of Empress Maria Theresa in 1780, the coin continued to be minted with the date frozen at 1780, and it is still produced and sold by the Austrian Mint today.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Years of production | 1740/1741-1780 and beyond |
| Number minted | 389 million between 1751 and 2000 |
| Production locations | Birmingham, Bombay, Brussels, London, Paris, Rome, Utrecht, Günzburg, Hall in Tyrol, Karlsburg, Kremnica, Milan, Prague, Vienna |
| Weight | 1/10 of a Vienna mark of silver |
| Fineness | 5/6 fine |
| Weight in grams | 233.8555 grams of fine silver from a mark of Cologne |
| Silver content | 11.69277 grams |
| Fluctuations in production | Mussolini gained a 25-year concession over production in 1935; Italy held a monopoly on the coin in 1938; London, Paris and Brussels produced their own versions in 1936 and 1937 without Austria's permission; production continued in Bombay during WWII |
| Post-WWII production | Over 6 million struck in London between 1947 and 1949 |
| Posthumous production | Dies were returned to Austria in 1961 after the 25-year transfer agreement expired |
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What You'll Learn
- The coin was originally minted in Austria from 1740 to 1780
- It was the circulating currency of the Holy Roman Empire
- The coin is still minted today, with the date frozen at 1780
- It was used as currency in Africa and the Middle East until after World War II
- The coin is also known as the 'French riyal' in the Arab world
The coin was originally minted in Austria from 1740 to 1780
The Maria Theresa Thaler is one of the most famous and well-known coins in the world. The coin was originally minted in Austria from 1740 to 1780, and it served as the currency of the Austrian Empire. It was also the circulating currency of the Holy Roman Empire and its dominions. The coin was first minted at the Vienna Mint and was named after Empress Maria Theresa, who ruled Austria, Hungary, and Bohemia from 1740 until her death in 1780.
The Maria Theresa Thaler quickly became a standard trade coin, and its use expanded beyond the Austrian Empire. It was particularly important for trade with the Levant, which includes parts of modern-day Turkey, Lebanon, and Syria. Over time, the coin became the most popular silver coin in the Arabian world and was also used in other parts of the world, including Africa and Asia. Its popularity in the Red Sea region was such that merchants would not accept any other type of currency.
After Empress Maria Theresa's death in 1780, the production of the coin continued with the date frozen at 1780. Joseph II permitted the Austrian Mint to continue striking the coin to meet the demand from the Middle East. The 1780 taler was the only silver coin that the Arabs trusted and would accept. The coin has been continuously minted since 1741, and it is estimated that between 1751 and 2000, about 389 million pieces were minted.
The Maria Theresa Thaler has had a significant impact on global coinage and trade. It has been minted in at least 16 different mints around the world, including London, Paris, Brussels, and Rome. During World War II, production continued as London sent its dies to Bombay, ensuring a consistent supply of the coin. The coin was so respected in Africa that, in the 1930s, Italian leader Mussolini sought to gain a monopoly over its production as part of his plan to invade Abyssinia (now Ethiopia).
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It was the circulating currency of the Holy Roman Empire
The Maria Theresa Thaler was originally issued in Austria between 1740 and 1780, the years that Maria ruled over the country. It was the circulating currency of the Holy Roman Empire and its dominions. The coin was named after Maria Theresa, the only female ruler in the House of Habsburg, who was the Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of Hungary and Bohemia at the age of 23. The coin bears her profile, which was often painted during her lifetime.
The Maria Theresa Thaler is a silver bullion coin and a type of Conventionsthaler that has been used in world trade continuously since it was first minted in 1741. It follows the Conventionsthaler standard of 1750, with a gross weight of 1/10 of a Vienna mark of silver, 6/7 fine. The coin quickly became a standard trade coin, and several nations began striking Maria Theresa thalers. Between 1751 and 2000, approximately 389 million were minted. The popularity of the coin led to it becoming the best-known and most popular silver coin in the Arabian world. Even after Maria Theresa's death in 1780, the Austrian mint continued striking the coin with the 1780 dies to meet the high demand from the Middle East.
The coin's production and influence spread far beyond the bounds of its homeland. Various mints distinguished their issues by slight differences in design, with some evolving over time. The mints that have struck Maria Theresa thalers include Birmingham, Bombay, Brussels, London, Paris, Rome, and Utrecht, in addition to the Habsburg mints in Günzburg, Hall in Tyrol, Karlsburg, Kremnica, Milan, Prague, and Vienna. The coin's widespread adoption led to it becoming one of the most important trade coins in Europe and one of the best-known coins in the world.
The Maria Theresa Thaler's enduring popularity is evident in its continued production and influence even in modern times. In 1935, Mussolini gained a 25-year concession over the production of the coin, and Italy held a monopoly on its production. However, other countries, including France, Belgium, and the UK, also started producing the coin to support their economic interests. Despite diplomatic requests from Austria to cease production, the coin continued to be struck even during World War II.
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The coin is still minted today, with the date frozen at 1780
The Maria Theresa Thaler is one of the world's most famous and well-known coins. It was originally minted in Austria between 1740 and 1780 and was the currency of the Austrian Empire. It was also the circulating currency of the Holy Roman Empire and its dominions and was one of the most important trade coins in Europe and the world.
The Maria Theresa Thaler has been restruck with an unchanged appearance since 1780. However, this is mainly true for restrikes made after 1850. Earlier strikes are typically relatively easy to identify. The coin has been minted continuously since 1741, but all thalers struck after 1780 carry the date '1780', so many people mistakenly believe their coin is older than it is.
The coin has been struck in at least 16 different mints around the world and has been used in many countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. It is still sold by the Vienna Mint as a bullion investment coin and is used as an unofficial currency in some parts of Africa and Asia. It may still be in use today as a "trade silver dollar" in some Arabian bazaars.
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It was used as currency in Africa and the Middle East until after World War II
The Maria Theresa Thaler, or MTT, was used as currency in Africa and the Middle East until after World War II. The Thaler was first minted in Austria between 1740 and 1780 and was the circulating currency of the Holy Roman Empire and its dominions. It was one of the most important trade coins in Europe and the world.
The Thaler was used as a currency in North Africa, Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and the Arabian Peninsula (Oman, Yemen, Hejaz, and Muscat). It was especially popular in the Red Sea region, where merchants would not accept any other type of currency. The coin was also used in India and throughout the Arab world, particularly in Saudi Arabia.
The MTT was so well-known and trusted in Africa that, in 1935, Mussolini attempted to use it as part of his plan to invade Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia). He believed that having enough MTTs would help him build an economic relationship with Abyssinia once he had invaded. However, Abyssinia resisted and refused to be conquered.
During World War II, the British minted around 18 million MTTs in Bombay to use in their East African Campaign to drive the Italians out of Ethiopia. Even during the German blockade of British ports, production continued, with London sending its dies to Bombay.
The MTT remains popular in North Africa and the Middle East today, where it is used in its original form as a silver coin with a portrait of the ruler on the front and the Habsburg Double Eagle on the back. It is also used as a source of silver for traditional jewellery in these regions.
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The coin is also known as the 'French riyal' in the Arab world
The Maria Theresa Thaler (MTT) is one of the world's most famous and beautiful coins. Named after the Empress Maria Theresa, who ruled Austria, Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia from 1740 to 1780, the MTT is an Austrian silver bullion coin that has been minted continuously since 1741. The coin is 39.5–41 mm (1.56–1.61 in) in diameter and 2.5 mm (0.098 in) thick, weighing 28.0668 grams (0.99003 oz). It contains 23.386 grams (0.752 troy ounces) of fine silver, with a silver content of .833 and a copper content of .166 of its total millesimal fineness.
The MTT was the circulating currency of the Holy Roman Empire and its dominions and was one of the most important trade coins in Europe and the world. It quickly became a standard trade coin, and several nations began striking MTTs. The MTT was so popular in the Red Sea region, especially in the Arabian Peninsula, that merchants would not accept any other type of currency.
The MTT was also found throughout the Arab world, especially in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Muscat and Oman. It was also formerly the currency of the Hejaz, the Aden Protectorate, and other parts of the Arabian Peninsula. The coin was also widely used for traditional jewellery, both as a source of silver and as a decoration. Due to its similar size to the Spanish eight-real coin and its initial association with French origin, the MTT acquired the Arab name al-riyal al-fransi (الريال الفرنسى), which translates literally to 'French riyal'.
The MTT was also used as currency in large parts of Africa and the Middle East until after World War II. It was common from North Africa to Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, down the coast of Tanzania to Mozambique, and in parts of the Arabian Peninsula. During World War II, the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies saw the American Office of Strategic Services create counterfeit MTTs for use by resistance forces, who preferred the MTT to the money issued by the occupying forces.
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Frequently asked questions
The Maria Theresa Thaler was first struck in Austria between 1740 and 1780.
The Maria Theresa Thaler is still produced by the Austrian Mint and is available in both proof and uncirculated conditions.
The date 1780 is the year that Empress Maria Theresa died. All coins struck after her death in 1780 carry this date.
