Duke Adolf Frederick I. of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1610-1658) - wide “Glückstaler”

• 1613

With his appointment as moneyer by the Mecklenburg Duke Adolf Frederick I. (1592-1658), Simon Lüdemann (around 1573-1619) received a special commission. He was to mint a type of coin that had never before been seen in Mecklenburg and that would quickly become known across the state borders. These coins were later even given a specialist numismatic term: “Glückstaler” (lucky thalers). Even today the extraordinary imprints still hold a sense of fascination. The front side shows the sovereign in splendid garments; the reverse shows the goddess of luck Fortuna with the motto “Fortune infortune fort une” (fortune and misfortune are the same).

Yet it is not only the image on the coin that is different – the usual coat of arms is not embossed on the reverse but also the mintage metal. As well as the silver normally used for thalers gold was also minted. The silver examples were significantly heavier – instead of the normal 28 g some of them weighed an astonishing 146 g.