Item number: A336

Year: AD 1620

Material: Silver

Size: 39.5 x 39.5 mm

Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2024

This item is a 1 thaler silver coin minted in the city of St. Gallen in AD 1620. The obverse features an erect bear walking to the left with a collar, encircled by the Latin inscription “MO. NO. CIVITA. SANGALLENSIS. 1620,” referring to the Abbey of Saint Gallen and its year of production. On the reverse, a double-headed eagle, crowned and nimbed, is surrounded by the Latin inscription “SOLI. DEO. OPT. MAX: LAVS. ET. GLORIA,” translated as “Praise and glory to God alone, the best and greatest,” a phrase deeply rooted in Christian theology, symbolising devotion and praise to God as the ultimate and supreme being.

The bear depicted on the obverse represents St. Gallen. The origin of the bear as a symbol of St. Gallen dates back to legend. According to folklore, when St. Gallus decided to establish a monastery near the river Steinach around AD 600, he encountered a hungry bear. The bear, awed by Gallus’ presence, ceased its attack and fetched firewood, returning to share the warmth of a fire with St. Gallus. Thereafter, the bear remained his constant companion. Recognizing its significance in the founding of St. Gallen, the bear became a symbol of the town.

The double-headed eagle on the reverse symbolises the close relationship between St. Gallen and the Holy Roman Empire. The town, evolving around the abbey, was governed by the prince-abbot of the Holy Roman Empire from AD 1206 onwards.

Eagles are potent symbols of power, often associated with ruling families and their dominion. In the late Middle Ages, the double-headed eagle emerged as a distinctive mark within the Holy Roman Empire, symbolising the transition from king to emperor upon papal coronation in Rome. The addition of a halo or nimbus around the eagle’s heads signified the sacred elevation of imperial majesty.

St. Gallen is a town and serves as the capital of the St. Gallen canton, located in northeastern Switzerland. Founded in AD 612 by the Celtic missionary St. Gallus, it began as a hermitage that evolved into a Benedictine abbey under Abbot Otmar by AD 720. The town, governed by the prince-abbot of the Holy Roman Empire, allied with the Swiss Confederation in AD 1453 and AD 1454, respectively. The clerical rule ended with the Reformation in AD 1524, leading to St. Gallen becoming the capital of the newly formed canton in AD 1803 after the abbey’s disendowment. The town’s outlying parishes were incorporated in AD 1918 upon adopting a communal constitution. Since AD 1846, St. Gallen has served as a Roman Catholic episcopal see.

物件編號: A336

年代: 公元 1620 年

材料: 銀

尺寸: 39.5 x 39.5 mm

來源: 福君錢幣 2024

這枚硬幣是一枚於公元1620年在聖加侖市鑄造的一塔勒銀幣。正面呈現一隻向左站立行走，帶著項圈的熊，被拉丁文銘文「MO. NO. CIVITA. SANGALLENSIS. 1620」環繞著，意指聖加侖修道院及其製造年份。背面則是一隻頭頂光圈，戴著皇冠的雙頭鷹，被拉丁文銘文「SOLI. DEO. OPT. MAX: LAVS. ET. GLORIA」包圍，翻譯為「唯獨讚美和榮耀歸於至高無上的上帝」，這句話深深植根於基督教神學，象徵著對上帝作為終極和至高者的虔誠和讚美。

硬幣正面的熊象徵著聖加侖。熊作為聖加侖的象徵起源於傳說。據傳說，公元600年左右，當聖加洛斯決定在斯坦哈赫河附近建立修道院時，遇到了一隻饑餓的熊。熊受到聖加洛斯的影響，停止了攻擊並且幫助取來柴火，並與聖加洛斯分享火堆的溫暖。從那時起，這隻熊一直伴隨他。熊在聖加侖建立過程中的重要性使其成為該鎮的象徵。

硬幣背面的雙頭鷹象徵著聖加侖與神聖羅馬帝國之間緊密的關係。聖加侖圍繞修道院發展，從公元1206年起由神聖羅馬帝國的親王修道院長(prince-abbot)統治。鷹通常被視為權力的象徵，常與統治家族及其統治範圍相關聯。在中世紀晚期，雙頭鷹成為神聖羅馬帝國內的一個特殊標誌，象徵著國王在羅馬教宗加冕後轉變為皇帝的過程。在雙頭鷹頭部周圍加上光環或暈圈，象徵著帝國至高無上的神聖權威。

聖加侖是瑞士東北部的一個城鎮，也是聖加侖州的首府。公元612年，凱爾特傳教士聖加洛斯在此地創建了一個隱修院。隨著信徒的加入，到了公元720年，這個地方發展為奧特馬爾修士主持的本篤會修道院。該鎮從公元1206年起由神聖羅馬帝國的親王修道院長統治，並於公元1453年和公元1454年分別與瑞士聯邦及城市結盟。隨著公元1524年的宗教改革，修道院解散，聖加侖在公元1803年成為新成立的州的首府。該市的外圍教區於公元1918年採納共同憲法後被納入。自從公元1846年以來，聖加侖一直是羅馬天主教的主教區。