Item number: A1840

Year: AD 1746

Material: Silver (.563)

Size: 28.1 x 27.8 x 1.0 mm

Weight: 6.2 g

Manufactured by: Kremnica Mint

Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2024

This is a silver coin issued in AD 1746 by the Kingdom of Hungary in the name of Empress Maria Theresa of the Holy Roman Empire, with a denomination of 15 Kreuzer (Krajcár). This particular design and inscription for the 15 Kreuzer was only minted in 1746, while the 15 Kreuzer denomination was intermittently issued between AD 1743 and 1750.

The obverse features a right-facing half-length portrait of Maria Theresa, wearing a long robe. Surrounding the portrait is the Latin inscription abbreviated as “M · THER · D · G · R · I · G · H · B · R · A · A · D · B · C · T ·”, which expands to “Maria Theresia Dei Gratia Romanorum Imperatrix Germaniæ Hungariæ Bohemiæ Regina Archidux Austriæ Dux Burgundiæ Comes Tyrolis”, meaning “Maria Theresa, by the Grace of God, Empress of the Romans, Queen of Germany, Hungary, and Bohemia, Archduchess of Austria, Duchess of Burgundy, Countess of Tyrol”. The letters “K B” on either side of the portrait indicate that the coin was minted at the Kremnica Mint.

The reverse depicts a full-length image of the Virgin Mary seated in a three-quarter profile facing to the right, holding the infant Jesus in her right arm. She wears an Eastern Orthodox-style mitre, with a circular halo behind her head. In her left hand, she holds a sceptre, while the Hungarian Holy Crown rests on her lap. The infant Jesus, with a radiating halo behind his head, faces to the right and raises his right hand in a gesture of divine blessing. Surrounding the image is the Latin inscription “PATRONA˙REG HUNGA: 1746”, which expands to “Patrona Regnum Hungariae”, meaning “Patron Saint of the Kingdom of Hungary”. The year “1746” indicates the year of issuance, while “XV” denotes the denomination of 15 Kreuzer.

The first King of Hungary, Saint Stephen I (reigned AD 1000–1038), introduced the minting of the silver denár (Dénár), which was of high quality and widely accepted in international trade. In the 14th century, Charles I (Károly Róbert) implemented monetary reforms, introducing the gold forint, modelled after the Florentine florin (Fiorino d’oro), while the garas was introduced as a subsidiary currency. In the 15th century, Matthias Corvinus (Hunyadi Mátyás, reigned AD 1458–1490) enacted monetary reforms that established a stable currency system and, for the first time, introduced the image of the Virgin Mary on Hungarian coinage, making it a central element of Hungarian monetary design. During the reign of the Habsburgs, Leopold I (I. Lipót) implemented currency standardisation within the Holy Roman Empire and formally introduced the Kreuzer as a circulating currency in Hungary. In AD 1753, the Austrian-Bavarian Monetary Convention established a standardised monetary system. Under this agreement, one Vienna mark (233.856 grams, 833‰ fine silver) was used to mint ten Convention Talers (Konventionstaler), each fixed at a value of two forints or 120 Kreuzer. Consequently, the Kreuzer became the primary small-denomination currency in Austria and its controlled territories, gradually replacing the older denár (Denier) in Hungary. In AD 1816, the Austrian National Bank (Österreichische Nationalbank) was established, further reforming the monetary system and gradually reducing the circulation of Kreuzer throughout the 19th century. This monetary system remained in place until AD 1857, when Austria adopted the silver standard under the “Vereinsthaler” system, leading to the gradual replacement of Kreuzer, which transitioned from silver to copper. In Hungarian territories under Habsburg rule, the Kreuzer remained in circulation until AD 1892, when it was ultimately replaced by the krone.

The Kremnica Mint (Kremnica Mint), established in AD 1328 and located in present-day Slovakia, is one of the oldest continuously operating mints in Europe. Due to its rich gold deposits, it became a key centre for the production of coinage in the medieval Kingdom of Hungary, minting large quantities of florins (Florins/Forint) and ducats (Ducat) from the 14th to 16th centuries, which were highly regarded across Europe for their high purity and stable quality. During the Habsburg era (16th–19th centuries AD), the mint continued producing coinage for the empire and, following industrialisation in the 19th century, introduced mechanised minting technology, becoming a crucial minting facility of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After the establishment of Czechoslovakia in AD 1918, it became the country’s official mint, and following Slovakia’s independence in AD 1993, it continued producing national currency. Since AD 2009, it has been responsible for minting euro coins. The Kremnica Mint remains operational today, producing Slovak currency and minting coins and commemorative medals for various countries.

Maria Theresa (Maria Theresia, AD 1717–1780) was a ruler of the Habsburg dynasty, serving as Archduchess of Austria, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia from AD 1740 to 1780, and orchestrating the accession of her husband as Holy Roman Emperor in AD 1745, thereby wielding imperial power as Empress Consort. As the sole legitimate heir of the Habsburg dynasty, her accession sparked the War of Austrian Succession (AD 1740–1748), ultimately securing the integrity of the Habsburg dominions. She implemented centralised administration, tax reforms, and military and educational development, introducing compulsory education in AD 1774. Her foreign and military policies aimed to maintain Habsburg influence, allying with France against Prussia in the Seven Years’ War (AD 1756–1763), though failing to reclaim Silesia. She strategically strengthened her dynasty through marriage alliances, most notably arranging the marriage of her daughter Marie Antoinette to King Louis XVI of France. Although she engaged with Enlightenment thinkers, she governed based on Catholic principles, implementing moderate reforms. She passed away in AD 1780, and her son Joseph II succeeded her, furthering her reforms. Her reign solidified the Habsburg dynasty’s position in Europe and laid the foundations for Austria’s modernisation.

物件編號: A1840

年代: 公元 1746 年

材質: 銀 (563‰)

尺寸: 28.1 x 27.8 x 1.0 mm

重量: 6.2 g

製造地: 克雷姆尼察鑄幣廠

來源: 福君錢幣 2024

這是一枚公元1746年，由匈牙利王國，以神聖羅馬帝國女皇瑪麗亞·特蕾莎之名發行，面額為15克羅斯(Kreuzer / Krajcár)的銀幣。該版型、銘文之15克羅斯僅鑄行於1746年，15克羅斯則是於公元1743至1750年間斷續鑄行。

銀幣的正面為瑪麗亞·特蕾莎之右側半身像，身著長袍。周圍環繞著拉丁文簡寫「M · THER · D · G · R · I · G · H · B · R · A · A · D · B · C · T ·」，即「Maria Theresia Dei Gratia Romanorvm Imperatrix Germaniæ Hvngariæ Bohemiæ Regina Archidvx Avstriæ Dvx Bvrgvndiæ Comes Tyrolis」，意即「瑪麗亞·特蕾莎，蒙上帝恩典，羅馬人的女皇、德意志、匈牙利與波希米亞女王、奧地利大公、勃艮第公爵、蒂羅爾伯爵」。人像兩側「K B」代表克雷姆尼察鑄幣廠。

銀幣的背面中央則是聖母及聖嬰全身像，向人物之右側半側身而坐，右手懷抱聖嬰，頭戴東正教式的主教冠，後有環狀光冕。左手持權杖，膝上放置匈牙利聖冠。懷中聖嬰頭後有放射狀光冕，頭朝向人物右側，右手微舉，象徵賜予世人神聖的祝福。周圍環繞拉丁文簡寫「PATRONA˙REG HUNGA: 1746」，即「Patrona Regnum Hungariae」，意為「匈牙利王國的主保聖人」。「1746」為發行年，「XV」為面額15克羅斯。

匈牙利的首位國王，伊什特萬一世(公元1000-1038年在位)，任內始鑄代納爾(Dénár)銀幣，這些硬幣質量上乘，在國際貿易中廣受認可。公元14世紀，查理一世(Károly Róbert)實施貨幣改革，引入了仿照佛羅倫薩金幣(Fiorino d’oro)的金福林(Forint)，由於金福林價值較高，作為輔幣的格羅申(Garas)也被引入。公元15世紀，匈雅提·馬加什一世(Hunyadi Mátyás，公元1458-1490年在位)進行貨幣改革，確立了一套穩定的貨幣制度，並首次在貨幣上引入聖母瑪利亞的形象，使其成為匈牙利貨幣設計的核心元素之一。在哈布斯堡王朝統治時期，利奧波德一世(I. Lipót)推行神羅境內貨幣統一，正式引入克羅斯作為匈牙利流通貨幣。公元1753年，奧地利-巴伐利亞貨幣公約的簽訂，確立了一套統一的貨幣體系。根據公約標準，1維也納馬克(233.856克，833‰純銀)可鑄造10枚公約塔勒(Konventionstaler)，每枚塔勒固定等值於2福林，等於120 克羅斯。因此克羅斯成為奧地利及其控制地區的小額輔幣，在匈牙利逐漸取代舊有的代納爾(Denár)。公元1816年奧地利國家銀行(Österreichische Nationalbank)正式成立，開始進一步調整貨幣體系，並在公元19世紀後期逐步減少克羅斯的流通。此貨幣體系一直維持到公元1857年奧地利採用銀本位「同盟塔勒」(Vereinsthaler)體系，克羅斯才逐步被取代，由銀改銅，在哈布斯堡帝國統治的匈牙利地區，克羅斯的使用甚至持續至公元1892年，最終被克朗取代。

克雷姆尼察鑄幣廠(Kremnica Mint)成立於公元1328年，位於今斯洛伐克，是歐洲歷史最悠久且持續運營至今的鑄幣廠之一。該廠因當地豐富的金礦資源而成為中世紀匈牙利王國的貨幣生產中心，公元14至16世紀大量鑄造弗羅林/福林金幣(Florins/Forint)與達克特金幣(Ducat)，以高純度與穩定品質於歐洲聞名。哈布斯堡王朝時期(公元16至19世紀)，該廠持續為帝國生產貨幣，並於公元19世紀工業化後引進機械化技術，成為奧匈帝國的重要鑄幣基地。捷克斯洛伐克於公元1918年成立後，該廠成為官方鑄幣機構，公元1993年斯洛伐克獨立後繼續生產該國貨幣，自公元2009年起負責歐元硬幣的鑄造。目前仍在運營，除生產斯洛伐克貨幣，亦為多國提供貨幣與紀念幣，並製造紀念章與獎牌等金屬工藝品。

瑪麗亞·特蕾莎(MariaTheresia，公元1717-1780年)為哈布斯堡王朝統治者，公元1740年至1780年間擔任奧地利女大公、匈牙利與波希米亞女王，並於公元1745年推動其夫即位為神聖羅馬皇帝，以皇后之身行使帝權。因父親查理六世無男嗣，她的即位引發奧地利王位繼承戰爭(公元1740-1748年)，最終成功維持哈布斯堡君主國的完整。她推動中央集權、行政改革、稅制調整及軍事與教育發展，公元1774年頒布學校法，確立義務教育制度，並限制貴族特權以提升國家經濟。她的外交與軍事政策以維護哈布斯堡勢力為目標，在七年戰爭(公元1756-1763年)中與法國聯手對抗普魯士，但未能奪回西里西亞。她透過聯姻鞏固王朝，其中最著名的是女兒瑪麗·安東尼嫁予法國國王路易十六。雖與啟蒙思想家來往密切，但她以天主教信仰為基礎，實施溫和改革。公元1780年逝世，其子約瑟夫二世繼位並進一步改革，她的統治奠定奧地利近代發展的基礎。