The nephew of Franz Ignaz von Streber, he first studied theology and philosophy, then archæology and numismatics, and in 1830 wrote as his dissertation for obtaining the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Erlangen a paper on the genealogy of the Burgraves of Nuremberg.
In 1834 he published the work Numismata nonnulla græca, which corrected false and inexact designations of coins; this was crowned with a prize by the Academy of Paris as was also his important investigation concerning what are called the rainbow patina, which he was the first to recognize as Celtic.
[1] Further papers on Celtic, Greek, and medieval coins, also on archæology, mythology, and the history of art, appeared chiefly in the publications of the Munich Academy.
He also drew up a Promemoria that is preserved among the records of the royal cabinet of coins, as to the expenses and the plan of a monumental work covering the entire field of Greek numismatics that was to take the place of the old work by Eckhel and be about one-half larger.
He founded the association for a constitutional monarchy and religious freedom, and wrote many political memorials at its request.