Free Imperial City of Frankfurt, One Thaler, 1772

A one-thaler silver coin struck by the Free Imperial City of Frankfurt in 1772. The obverse shows the city's eagle in an oval frame; the reverse features a view of the city with a tower and bridge. Records from the International Coin Club, which holds this piece, note that it was minted during the reign of Emperor Joseph II by mintmaster F. H. Bunsen. It is made of silver, weighs 28.09 grams, has a diameter of 39.6 millimeters, and a patterned edge. Mayer Amschel's father traded goods and exchanged money on a street in this city, supplying coins to the Prince of Hesse for his collection. On the money changer's counter, coins were beginning to acquire value for collectors, beyond just their bullion weight. This is a silver coin from that same city, one that would have rested on such a counter.