Item number: A1180

Year: AD 1614

Material: Silver

Size: 41.7 x 41.6 x 1.9 mm

Weight: 28.9 g

Manufactured by: Goslar

Provenance: Jeans Elsen & ses Fils 2024

This is a silver thaler issued by the Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, a common currency in the German regions. The obverse features the coat of arms of Brunswick-Lüneburg at its centre. In the upper row of the nine-sectioned shield, the double lions in the middle represent Brunswick, the single blue lion on the left symbolises Lüneburg, and the white horse on the right signifies the Duchy of Saxony, once ruled by the family. The remaining emblems represent the coats of arms of the various counties under its dominion. The outer inscription, “FRIDERIC ULRIC D G DUX BRUNSVI,” is an abbreviation for “Frederick Ulrich, by the Grace of God, Duke of Brunswick.”On the reverse, a wild man holding a tree is depicted at the centre, with the Latin inscription “DEO ET PATRIAE ANNO 1614” encircling it, meaning “For God and Country, made in 1614.”

The Welf dynasty served as rulers over various regions, including areas in Germany, Burgundy, and Italy. In AD 1180, Henry the Lion was stripped of his title as Duke of Saxony by Emperor Frederick I of the Holy Roman Empire, retaining only a few towns such as Brunswick and Lüneburg. In AD 1235, these territories were elevated to the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Although his descendants eventually divided the duchy for separate rule, they continued to retain the title of Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

The wild man motif is quite common in European art, often symbolising strength and freedom from societal constraints. This theme frequently appears on coins from the Lower Saxony region, and it is speculated that it may be related to the wild men of the surrounding mountainous forests or fugitives hiding in local mine shafts.

物件編號: A1180

年代: 公元 1614 年

材質: 銀

尺寸: 41.7 x 41.6 x 1.9 mm

重量: 28.9 g

製造地: 戈斯拉爾

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1塔勒銀幣，為德意志地區的常見貨幣。正面中央為不倫瑞克-呂訥堡的紋章，九宮格中上排中央的雙獅為布倫瑞克的象徵，上排左側的單一獅子則是呂訥堡的藍獅，上排右側的白馬代表家族曾統治的薩克森公國，其餘的圖案則是轄下各郡的紋章。外圈的銘文「FRIDERIC ULRIC D G DUX BRUNSVI」為「腓特烈·烏爾里希，蒙上帝鴻福，不倫瑞克公爵」的縮寫。反面中央為右手持樹木的野人，外圈的拉丁銘文「DEO ET PATRIAE ANNO 1614」的意思是「為了上帝與國家，1614製造」。

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。