Mariengroschen
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/1_Mariengroschen_o.J._Johann_Friedrich_%28obv%29-0759.jpg/100px-1_Mariengroschen_o.J._Johann_Friedrich_%28obv%29-0759.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/57/1_Mariengroschen_o.J._Johann_Friedrich_%28rev%29-0763.jpg/100px-1_Mariengroschen_o.J._Johann_Friedrich_%28rev%29-0763.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/59/1_Mariengroschen_1683HB_Ernst_August_%28obv%29-0755.jpg/100px-1_Mariengroschen_1683HB_Ernst_August_%28obv%29-0755.jpg)
The Mariengroschen ("St. Mary's groschen") is an historical coin that was a type of groschen minted in Lower Saxony and Westphalia from the 16th to the 19th century. It was named after the Virgin Mary who was depicted on the reverse side.[1]
Mariengroschen were first minted in Goslar in 1505 and then in other mints in the Harz mountain region, such as Brunswick and Hildesheim. The first coins were made of 8-lot silver; 80 being struck from 1 gross Cologne Mark. The fine weight decreased in the course of the 16th century;[2] already around 1550 the fineness had been reduced to about half:[1]
- Brunswick 1514: weight 2.75 g with 1.375 g silver content;
- Hildesheim 1528: weight 2.88 g with 1.062 silver content;
- Goslar 1551: weight 2.43 g with 0.91 g silver content;
- Brunswick 1572: weight 1.504 g with 0.69 g silver content.
The knightly estates of the Lower Saxon Circle, which were entrusted with coin supervision, followed this development. The Meissen Groschen gained influence through the debasement of the Mariengroschen.[3]
Late Mariengroschen
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/3_Mariengroschen_1818_Georg_III_%28obv%29-8573.jpg/100px-3_Mariengroschen_1818_Georg_III_%28obv%29-8573.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/59/3_Mariengroschen_1818_Georg_III_%28rev%29-8574.jpg/100px-3_Mariengroschen_1818_Georg_III_%28rev%29-8574.jpg)
In the Kingdom of Hanover Mariengroschen were last minted in 1816-1820 as Convention coins;[4] the Duchy of Brunswick minted the Mariengroschen at five lots until 1834; Schaumburg-Lippe until 1821 with 1/4 fineness.[1]
References
- ^ a b c Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon, Volume 13. Leipzig 1908, p. 298.
- ^ Vol. 5, p. 273 f.
- ^ Hermann Grote: Münzstudien. 9 vols. Reprint of the Leipzig edition, 1857–1877. Graz: Akad. Druck- u. Verlag-Anst., 1969. ISBN 3-201-00336-0.
- ^ Gerhard Welter: ''Die Münzen der Welfen seit Heinrich dem Löwen, Volume 1 Brunswick, 1971. p452
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Article about Mariengroschen at Numispedia
- Treasure trove find with Mariengroschen
- v
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![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/30/Three_Lithuanian_Groschen_of_%C5%BDygimantas_Augustas_with_Vytis_%28Waykimas%29%2C_minted_in_Vilnius%2C_1565.jpg/80px-Three_Lithuanian_Groschen_of_%C5%BDygimantas_Augustas_with_Vytis_%28Waykimas%29%2C_minted_in_Vilnius%2C_1565.jpg)
- Apfelgroschen
- Guter Groschen
- Mariengroschen
- Albus
- Blaffert
- Broad groschen
- Fürstengroschen
- Meissen groschen
- Prague groschen
- Weißpfennig (Rhenish groschen)