Item number: A1179

Year: AD 1700

Material: Silver

Size: 35.6 x 35.6 x 1.3 mm

Weight: 13.0 g

Manufactured by: Zellerfeld

Provenance: Jeans Elsen & ses Fils 2024

This is a 24 Mariengroschen silver coin issued by the Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, a common currency in the German regions. The obverse features the denomination of 24 Mariengroschen in the centre, with “V.FEIN.SILB.” below, indicating its silver composition. The outer inscription “REMIGIO ALTISSIMI UNI.1700.” refers to the engraver’s name and the year of issuance. On the reverse, the central figure is a wild man holding tree branches in both hands, with the denomination 24 beside his left foot. The upper outer inscription “D:G:RUD:AUG:& ANTH:ULR:DD:BR:&LU:” is an abbreviation for “By the Grace of God, Rudolph Augustus & Anthony Ulrich, Dukes of Brunswick & Lüneburg.”

The House of Welf ruled over various regions, including Germany, Burgundy, and Italy. In AD 1180, Henry the Lion was stripped of his title as Duke of Saxony by Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I, retaining only a few towns such as Brunswick and Lüneburg. In AD 1235, these territories were elevated to the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Although Henry’s descendants governed the duchy in separate lines, they retained the title of the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

The wild man motif is quite common in European art, often symbolising strength and untamed freedom. This theme frequently appears on coins from the Lower Saxony region, possibly reflecting local folklore related to wild men of the surrounding mountain forests or fugitives hiding in mine shafts.

物件編號: A1179

年代: 公元 1700 年

材質: 銀

尺寸: 35.6 x 35.6 x 1.3 mm

重量: 13.0 g

製造地: 采勒費爾德

來源: 比利時 Jean Elsen & ses Fils拍賣 2024

這是一枚布倫瑞克-沃爾芬比特爾親王國發行的24瑪麗格羅申銀幣，為德意志地區的常見貨幣。正面中央標示面額24瑪麗格羅申，下方的「V.FEIN.SILB.」表示其成分為銀，外圈銘文的「REMIGIO ALTISSIMI UNI.1700.」為雕刻師的名字及發行的年份。反面中央為雙手持樹枝的野人，左腳旁邊有24的面額。上方外圈的銘文「D:G:RUD:AUG:& ANTH:ULR:DD:BR:&LU:」為「蒙上的鴻福，魯道夫．奧古斯&安東尼．烏爾里西，布倫瑞克-呂訥堡公國」的縮寫。

韋爾夫家族為德意志、勃根地、義大利等多地的統治者。公元1180年，獅子亨利遭神聖羅馬帝國皇帝腓特烈一世剝奪了薩克森公國的頭銜，僅保留了布倫瑞克及呂訥堡等部分城鎮。公元1235年，領地被提升為不倫瑞克-呂訥堡公國，其後代雖然將公國分開統治，頭銜仍保留不倫瑞克-呂訥堡公國。

野人圖樣在歐洲藝術上頗為常見，往往展現出力量與不受拘束的一面。下薩克森地區的錢幣常出現此種主題，推測可能為周邊山區的森林野人或躲藏於礦坑中的逃犯有關。