Prussian Expansion Jeton, 1802.

[constanius]

 

Obv: FRISCH MIT GEWALT(Fresh with Violence is how some translate this, but New Power, authority, force or strength is, I believe, more accurate, which I hope will become clear when you read my reasons below, also in old German gewalt had those meanings, besides violence.)

Exe:1802

Rev: OMNIBUS NON SIBI(all, not one) REICH below, on fountain EISEN/BERG.

Brass 24mm.

In 1802 many of the free cities(Nordhausen, Muhlhausen etc) in Thuringia were annexed by Prussia. This was in compensation for land & population west of the Rhine lost to France and followed the lost of Austrian Imperial power in the German states, so I suspect that Eisenberg, Thuringia was also annexed to Prussia then, hence the jeton....."Prussian troops occupied Nordhausen on 2 August 1802; the city lost its independence"......"Mühlhausen in 1802 lost its independence and passed to Prussia".

So the jeton is celebrating the smaller German cities being incorporated into Prussia to forge a new unified strength. Seen in this light the "All, Not One" makes sense.

Also the horse was a German symbol used on coins & jetons to symbolize strength & power.

The REICH is for Johann Christian Reich (1758-1814) German medalist & jeton maker, born in 1740 in Eisenberg, Thuringia, and died in 1814 in Fuerth.

I have been unable to find any reference, or forum discussion, which gave any reason for this jeton being struck & dated 1802, I believe that my conclusion is sound.