Item number: A1831

Year: AD 1662

Material: Silver (approx.900)

Size: 29 x 28.3 x 0.9 mm

Weight: 3.3875 g

Manufactured by: Austrian Mint, Vienna

Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2024

This is a silver coin with a face value of 15 Kreuzer, issued in AD 1662 in the name of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria.

The obverse of the coin features a right-facing portrait of Leopold I, adorned with a laurel crown as a symbol of honour. The portrait distinctly exhibits the “Habsburg jaw,” a characteristic resulting from generations of consanguineous marriages among the nobility. Surrounding the portrait is the Latin inscription “LEOPOLDVS D G R I S A G B REX,” an abbreviation of “Leopoldus Dei Gratia Romanorum Imperator Semper Augustus Germaniae Bohemiae Rex,” which translates as “Leopold, by the grace of God, Emperor of the Romans, Ever August, King of Germany and Bohemia.” The title “Augustus” was originally the supreme designation of the Roman emperors, first used by Emperor Augustus and later adopted by the surviving Byzantine Empire. Charlemagne restored its use in AD 800 to symbolise the continuation of the Roman imperial tradition. Frederick I “Barbarossa,” Holy Roman Emperor, incorporated “Ever August” into his title to emphasise both his divine and supreme status, as well as his connection to Rome. The title “King of Germany” underscored the Holy Roman Emperor’s succession from the East Frankish Kingdom, but it was increasingly de-emphasised under Habsburg rule in favour of the title “Roman Emperor.” Bohemia refers to the modern-day Czech Republic. Below the inscription, “(XV)” indicates the coin’s denomination of 15 Kreuzer.

The reverse of the coin displays an expanded version of Leopold I’s royal coat of arms, symbolising his rule over multiple territories. In the upper left section, multiple horizontal stripes represent the House of Árpád, signifying the Kingdom of Hungary, while in the upper right, a double-tailed lion stands for the Kingdom of Bohemia. The second row, from left to right, features a three-towered castle representing the Kingdom of Castile, followed by a rampant lion symbolising the Kingdom of León. Adjacent is a field of vertical stripes denoting the Kingdom of Aragon, while the Aragon-Sicily emblem, comprising alternating vertical stripes and two single-headed eagles positioned at opposite corners, signifies the union of these territories. In the third row, a rampant lion represents the Duchy of Brabant, followed by a horizontally divided shield accompanied by diagonal stripes, representing the Archduchy of Austria and the historical coat of arms of Burgundy. Next, a crowned eagle with outstretched wings, bearing a two-coloured crescent on its chest, symbolises the Duchy of Carniola (modern-day Slovenia), while three parallel antlers on the far right signify the Duchy of Württemberg. The fourth row begins with another rampant lion, representing the County of Flanders. Next to it, the coat of arms of the Duchy of Carinthia features three vertically aligned lions, positioned alongside the Austrian ducal emblem but nearly omitted due to space constraints. Slightly lower, a crowned eagle with outstretched wings denotes the Margraviate of Moravia, and on the far right, the emblem of Silesia also depicts an eagle with a cross-bearing crescent on its chest. Encircling the shield is the Latin inscription “ARCHI D AVS DVX B CO TYR,” an abbreviation of “Archidux Austriae Dux Burgundiae Comes Tyrolis,” translating as “Archduke of Austria, Duke of Burgundy, Count of Tyrol.” Tyrol, a strategically vital region in western Austria and northern Italy, served as a key passage between Austria and Switzerland. Suspended beside the shield is the collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece, held by the Imperial double-headed eagle of the Holy Roman Empire. Above the eagle hovers the Austrian crown, while its talons grasp a sword and sceptre. The inscription “1662” at the top indicates the year of issue, and the overlapping letters “CA” at the bottom signify the mintmark of Andrea Cetto, then director of the Austrian Mint in Vienna.

The Kreuzer was a widely circulated small-denomination silver coin in the Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburg domains from the Middle Ages to the modern era. The earliest recorded minting of the Kreuzer dates to AD 1271 in the Tyrol region, with the name derived from the distinctive double-cross emblem originally stamped on the coin. From the 16th century onwards, the Kreuzer became a principal monetary unit in Austria, Bohemia, Hungary, and southern Germany, primarily serving as subsidiary currency to larger denominations such as the Gulden and Thaler. The standard exchange rate was typically 60 or 72 Kreuzer per Gulden, though this varied by region and period. During the early 17th century, the Kipper- und Wipperzeit (“Debasement and Counterfeit Era,” AD 1618–1623) led to an economic crisis caused by rampant war-induced inflation, with numerous German states and cities issuing low-silver-content Kreuzer, severely devaluing the currency. Habsburg monetary reforms in AD 1623 eventually stabilised the economy. By the mid-17th century, the Kreuzer remained an essential circulating currency within the Habsburg realms, prompting the mints in Austria, Bohemia, and Hungary to produce higher silver-content Kreuzer to restore market confidence while maintaining a fixed exchange rate with the Gulden. By the 18th century, as monetary systems became increasingly standardised, the Kreuzer continued as a minor silver or copper coin in Austria and southern Germany until it was eventually replaced by more modern currencies in the 19th century.

During the reign of Leopold I (AD 1657–1705), in response to the weakened central authority following the Thirty Years’ War, he sought to reinforce Austrian centralisation and military strength to counter the threats posed by France and the Ottoman Empire. He inherited his father’s absolutist policies, subjugating the nobility within his hereditary lands by encouraging them to profit from agricultural trade in exchange for their loyalty. To maintain stability among the fragmented German principalities, he strategically supported allies, including elevating Hanover to electoral status, backing candidates for the Polish throne, and recognising Prussia’s claim to kingship. These measures ensured that Habsburg rule was secured internally while protected externally by allied states. Leopold I faced significant challenges during his reign, particularly from France under Louis XIV, against whom he waged the Franco-Dutch War (AD 1672–1678), the Nine Years’ War (AD 1688–1697), and the War of the Spanish Succession (AD 1701–1714). Meanwhile, on the eastern frontier, the revitalised Ottoman Empire, under the leadership of the Köprülü family of Grand Viziers, launched renewed conquests into Central Europe, posing a major threat throughout his reign. Austria consistently resisted Ottoman intervention in Transylvania, leading to war in AD 1663. The Austrian army, commanded by the distinguished general Raimondo Montecuccoli and supported by Polish reinforcements, achieved a decisive victory in August AD 1664, forcing the Ottomans into a peace agreement lasting twenty years. However, Leopold I’s retreat from Vienna before the siege undermined the empire’s prestige despite the military success. His death during the War of the Spanish Succession may have influenced the ultimate outcome of the conflict.

物件編號: A1831

年代: 公元 1662 年

材質: 銀 (估計值 900.0‰)

尺寸: 29 x 28.3 x 0.9 mm

重量: 5.95 g

製造地: 奧地利鑄幣廠，維也納

來源: 福君錢幣 2024

這是一枚公元1662年，以神聖羅馬帝國皇帝、奧地利大公利奧波德一世之名發行，面額為15克羅斯的銀幣。

銀幣的正面，為利奧波德一世右側肖像，頭戴桂冠，作為榮耀的象徵。肖像呈現明顯的「哈布斯堡下巴」，是貴族間長年近親通婚的結果。周圍環繞著拉丁文簡寫「LEOPOLDVS D G R I S A G B REX」，即「Leopoldus Dei Gratia Romanorum Imperator Semper Augustus Germaniae Bohemiae Rex」，意為「利奧波德，蒙上帝恩典，神聖羅馬帝國皇帝，永恆的奧古斯都，德意志與波希米亞國王」。奧古斯都原為羅馬帝國自奧古斯都大帝以降之最高尊號，為僅存的拜占庭帝國所沿用，查理曼於公元800年恢復，象徵希羅馬帝國的延續。神聖羅馬帝國皇帝，腓特烈一世「巴巴羅薩」於頭銜中加入「永恆的奧古斯都」，強調神聖與至尊的地位，還有與羅馬的連結。「德意志國王」則強調承繼東法蘭克王國的法統，在哈布斯堡長年執政後被淡化，轉而強調「羅馬皇帝」。波希米亞為今捷克地區。下方「(XV)」為面額「15克羅斯」。

銀幣的背面中央則是為利奧波德一世的擴展版皇室徽章，象徵其統治的諸多領地。最左上區域的多條橫紋組成，為阿爾帕德王朝紋章，象徵匈牙利王國；最右上角則為一頭雙尾獅，代表捷克地區的波希米亞王國。第二行左起為一座三塔城堡，代表卡斯提亞王國；左二則為一隻站立的獅子，為萊昂王國的象徵；多條豎紋的圖樣，代表阿拉貢王國，而阿拉貢-西西里的紋章，則是多條豎紋與兩隻單頭鷹分別交錯佔據上下左右。第三行左起為一隻直立的獅子，象徵低地地區的布拉邦公國。左二為一個水平分割的雙色區域，和多條斜紋並列，代表奧地利大公國與勃艮第的歷史紋章；左三為戴冠展翅的鷹，胸前有雙色新月，代表卡尼奧拉公國(今斯洛維尼亞)；最右側是成三、平行排列的鹿角，象徵符騰堡公國。第四行左起為一隻直立的獅子，象徵法蘭德斯伯國；左二為克恩頓/卡林西亞公國，紋章為縱向平行排列的三隻雄獅與奧地利大公紋章並列，幾乎被省略；左三偏下為一隻戴冠展翅的鷹，代表摩拉維亞邊侯領；最右側，西里西亞的紋章亦為一隻展翅的鷹，胸前帶有十字新月。外側環繞拉丁簡寫「ARCHI D AVS DVX B CO TYR」，即「Archidux Austriae Dux Burgundiae Comes Tyrolis」，意為「奧地利大公，勃艮第公爵，提洛伯爵」。提洛為西奧地利和北義大利的一片區域，為奧地利與瑞士之間的要衝。盾徽旁懸掛著金羊毛騎士團鍊章，以代表神聖羅馬帝國的雙首帝國鷹承托。帝國鷹之上懸浮著奧地利王冠，其雙爪一執劍、一執杖。上方「1662」為發行年，下方交疊的字母「CA」為於維也納，時任奧地利鑄幣局局長之安德烈亞·切托(Andrea Cetto)的鑄幣標記。

克羅斯是中世紀至近代神聖羅馬帝國及哈布斯堡王朝領地內廣泛流通的小面額銀幣，史載最早於公元1271年在提洛地區鑄造，名稱源自早期硬幣上印有的雙十字標誌。公元16世紀起，克羅斯成為奧地利、波希米亞、匈牙利及南德意志地區的主要貨幣單位之一，通常作為較大面額貨幣(如古爾登、塔勒)的輔幣，標準匯率約為60或72克羅斯=1古爾登，但因不同地區、時期標準略有變動。公元17世紀初，劣幣時期(Kipper- und Wipperzeit，約公元1618–1623年)期間，由於戰爭導致的經濟危機，許多德意志邦國與城市鑄造低銀含量的克羅斯，使貨幣貶值嚴重，直到公元1623年哈布斯堡王朝推行貨幣改革，才恢復穩定。公元17世紀中葉，仍是哈布斯堡領內的重要流通貨幣，故由奧地利、波希米亞與匈牙利的造幣廠鑄造一些高含銀量的克羅斯，以嘗試重鑄市場信任，並與古爾登保持固定兌換關係。至公元18世紀，隨著貨幣體系的進一步標準化，克羅斯在奧地利與南德意志地區繼續作為小額銀幣或銅幣使用，直到公元19世紀被更現代的貨幣體系取代。

利奧波德一世在位期間(AD 1657-1705)，為彌補三十年戰爭後的中樞勢弱，致力於強化奧地利的中央集權和軍事力量，以應對法國和奧斯曼帝國的威脅。​他繼承父親建立的君主專制，透過各種方式馴服直轄領地內的貴族地主，並鼓勵他們將農產品賣出獲利，以換取對君王的效忠。​對於離心的德意志諸邦，則扶持盟友以維持穩定，如加封漢諾威選侯，支持盟友競選波蘭王位，允許普魯士稱王等，這些措施使哈布斯堡於外有盟友藩衛，於內，其專制君權在領地上穩定紮根。利奧波德一世任內遭遇許多挑戰，西部邊境面臨法國路易十四的擴張，於法荷戰爭(AD 1672-1678)、大同盟戰爭(AD 1688-1697)與西班牙王位繼承戰爭(AD 1701-1714)中屢屢對壘。於東部邊境，奧斯曼帝國在科普魯律家族帕夏的重振下，再度向中歐發起征服，成為利奧波德一世在位期間的主要威脅。​奧地利一直反對土耳其人干涉特蘭西瓦尼亞公國的事務，雙方最終在公元1663年開戰。​奧軍由優秀將領拉依蒙多·蒙泰庫科利統帥，最終在波蘭援軍的側襲下，於公元1664年8月大勝，迫使土耳其人簽訂和約，約定二十年內保持和平。但利奧波德一世於圍城戰前自維也納出逃，導致其勝利未能重振帝國威望。利奧波德一世於西班牙王位繼承戰爭其間逝世，可能影響了戰爭最終的結局。