The ''Guter Groschen'' ("good ''groschen''"), also ''Gutergroschen'' or ''Gutegroschen'', abbreviation ''Ggr.'', is name of the ''groschen'' coin that was valued at of a ''

Reichsthaler The ''Reichsthaler'' (; modern spelling Reichstaler), or more specifically the ''Reichsthaler specie'', was a standard thaler silver coin introduced by the Holy Roman Empire in 1566 for use in all German states, minted in various versions for the ...

'' from the end of the 16th century. It was called a "good ''groschen''" to distinguish it from the lighter '' Mariengroschen'' ("Mary's ''groschen''"), which was only valued at ''Reichsthaler''. The term ''Guter Groschen'' remained common until the middle of the 19th century.

History

According to the Imperial Circle decision of 1572 the ''groschen'', which depicted an orb on the reverse side, were initially valued at 21 to the ''Reichsthaler'', but later 24. These so-called '' Apfelgroschen'' were mainly minted in

Northern Germany Northern Germany (, ) is a linguistic, geographic, socio-cultural and historic region in the northern part of Germany which includes the coastal states of Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Lower Saxony and the two city-states Hambur ...

. During the time of

counterfeit A counterfeit is a fake or unauthorized replica of a genuine product, such as money, documents, designer items, or other valuable goods. Counterfeiting generally involves creating an imitation of a genuine item that closely resembles the original ...

ing, the ''Kipper'' and ''Wipper'' period, they were debased. After the ''Kipper'' mints were closed, they were minted as ''Gutegroschen'' with a higher value. The ''Groschen'' name was initially intended to express the return to the

Imperial Minting Ordinance Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor/empress, or imperialism. Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to: Places United States * Imperial, California * Imperial, Missouri * Imperial, Nebraska * Imperial, Pennsylvania * Im ...

(''Reichsmünzordnung'') and thus to good money. Subsequently, the name also became common for the ''groschen'' valued at ''Reichsthaler'', which had been struck since the end of the 16th century. The mints tried to replace the unstable ''Mariengroschen'' with the ''Guter Groschen'' at ''Reichsthaler'', but they continued to circulate as ''Reichsthaler''. In the trade manual, ''Salomon Haas leicht und deutlich erklärte Waaren-Calculation of 1769, the relationship of coins to the ''Guter Groschen'' is illustrated with examples from

Saxony Saxony, officially the Free State of Saxony, is a landlocked state of Germany, bordering the states of Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, and Bavaria, as well as the countries of Poland and the Czech Republic. Its capital is Dresden, and ...

Brandenburg Brandenburg, officially the State of Brandenburg, is a States of Germany, state in northeastern Germany. Brandenburg borders Poland and the states of Berlin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony. It is the List of Ger ...

and Brunswick: : Brandenburg and Saxon coins. : 1 '' Rthl.'' = 24 ''Guter Groschen.'' : 1 ''Guter Groschen'' = 12 '' Pfennings.'' : Brunswick coins. : 1 ''Rthl''. = 24 ''Guter Groschen'' = 36 ''Mariengroschen.'' : 1 ''Guter Grosche''n = 12 ''pfennigs.'' : 1 ''Mariengroschen'' = 8 ''pfennigs.'' : ..The ratio of the Saxon coins is the same as that of Brandenburg.'Salomon Haas leicht und deutlich erklärte Waaren-Calculation, worinnen alle …'', Frankfurt, 1769, pp. 7,10

References

Literature

* Paul Arnold, Harald Küthmann, Dirk Steinhilber: ''Großer Deutscher Münzkatalog von 1800 bis heute''. Augsburg 1997 * Lienhard Buck: ''Die Münzen des Kurfürstentums Sachsen 1763 bis 1806.'' Berlin 1981 * Heinz Fengler, Gerd Gierow, Willy Unger: ''transpress Lexikon Numismatik'', Berlin 1976, S. 135 Guter Groschen
Bernd Kluge: ''Für 8 Groschen ist’s genug. Friedrich der Große in seinen Münzen und Medaillen'', Museumsjournal 1/2012
* Wolfgang Leschhorn: ''Braunschweigische Münzen und Medaillen. 1000 Jahre Münzkunst und Geldgeschichte in Stadt und Land Braunschweig'', Appelhans-Verlag 2010, S. 199–202, ISBN 978-3-941737-22-8. * Friedrich Freiherr von Schrötter (ed.), mit N. Bauer, K. Regling, A. Suhle, R. Vasmer, J. Wilcke: ''Wörterbuch der Münzkunde'', de Gruyter, Berlin 1970 (reprint of the 1930 original) * Arthur Suhle: ''Die Münze. Von den Anfängen bis zur europäischen Neuzeit'', Leipzig 1969

External links

{{Groschen Silver coins Coins of the Holy Roman Empire Monetary policy Groschen