What is the story behind this coin?

[gxseries]

 

I got this coin fairly cheap, and considering its age and not something that I see very often, I decide to grab it. While the dealer describes it as the following: "German States Hannover 1819 LB, 3 Marien Groschen", I would like to know the historical aspect of it, if possible

 

Perhaps tabbs can tell me more about it

[jlueke]

The Marien Groschen is so called because the earliest examples featured images of the Virgin Mary on the piece. These circulated in Niedersachsen (the land of the Hannovers -Britains royal family) and later in Westfalen as well.

 

The groschen is the same as the English groat in origin, a thicker denarius. These pieces were valued at 1/36 taler (dollar).

 

As a child in Germany 10 pfennig was still called a groschen.

[tabbs]

Perhaps tabbs can tell me more about it

Or maybe jlueke. Since I do not collect such old coins my self, my knowledge about them is, well, limited. Jörg already mentioned where the name comes from; the first Mariengroschen were made in Goslar, 500 years ago, and the last ones were issued in the early/mid 19c. The "LB" is the mintmaster's initials.

 

Christian

[jlueke]

Ahh but you should know about the white horse of Hannover, or at least know where there is a good explanation on the web?

[tabbs]

That "Saxon" horse used to be in the CoA's of several German countries (Hannover, Brunswick ...) and can still be found on some state flags. Here is some info (in German) about the horse in the flag on Lower Saxony:

http://www.niedersachsen.de/master/C32586_...20_D0_I198.html

 

Here is an animated version, for this year's state jubilee:

http://www.60-jahre-niedersachsen.de/

 

And "my" state, North Rhine Westphalia, has its 60th birthday too - and has the horse in its CoA as well.

The red part is Westphalia (with Widukind's? horse), the green part represents Rhineland, and in the white part at the bottom is the rose of Lippe ...

 

Christian

[jlueke]

Thanks, interesting the choice of Widukind's horse as the legendary inspiration for the horse.

 

So is Karl der Grosse vilified in Niedersachsen?

[tabbs]

Not really. After all, due to Charlemagne, Widukind was baptized. How voluntary that baptism was is another question ... but Karl was clever enough to integrate quite a few Saxons into the "nobility" of his empire.

 

Christian