After Charlemagne had introduced his successful Carolingian monetary reform, the high medieval Interregnum led to the collapse of imperial coin sovereignty.
The background was the successful introduction of silver coins, which were meant to correspond to the gold gulden in metal value.
A Saxon Guldengroschen contained 27.40 g of fine silver, since eight coins were to be struck from am alloyed Cologne Mark of 15 lots (Loth) (937.5⁄1000).
From 1519, large quantities of the Joachimsthaler Guldengroschen (27.20 g of fine silver) were minted in the north Bohemian town of Joachimsthal based on this standard.
According to the Diet, 8 coins had to be struck from a Cologne Mark of alloy silver; however, the fineness was reduced to 14 lots 4 grains (888.9⁄1000).