Wechselthaler

The Wechselthaler, also spelt Wechseltaler or Wechsel-Thaler ("exchange thaler"), was minted in 1670 and 1671 in the Electorate of Saxony under Elector John George II (1656–1680) to the Wechselthaler or Burgundian thaler standard (861/1000 fineness).

As the name suggests, the Wechselthaler and its subdivisions were intended as a currency to encourage Leipzig's trade with Hamburg and the Netherlands.

[7] Electoral Saxon Speciesreichstaler, Kuranttaler (a coin of account from the Treaty of Zinna), and thaler pieces issued to the Burgundian standard had the following differences in value: The thalers of the Dutch provinces were worth 26 groschen in Zinna currency, the Speciesreichstalers as mentioned above 28 groschen.

Since thalers minted to the Burgundian standard were accepted as a full Reichstaler, there were protests from the Leipzig merchants, who were supported by the Electoral Saxon estates.

[11] This is the origin and the intention of a monetary coinage that is deliberately distinguished from other thalers by the employment of the name Wechselthaler [...] which has been very puzzling to coin researchers in the past, [...].

The obverse bears the armoured bust of John George II and part of his titular inscription.

The reverse shows the simplified Saxon coat of arms under the electoral hat and the rest of his titular inscription, the year and the mintmaster acorn, as well as the initials C - R of Dresden mintmaster, Constantin Rothe.

The following die were probably made by Ernst Caspar Dürr, who was given to the coin cutter Höckner as adjunct at the end of 1670.

John George II, by the Grace of God Duke of Saxony, Jülich, Cleves and Berg, of the Holy Roman Empire Arch-Marshal and Elector.