Grand Master Archduke Maximilian of Austria 1603 Taler German Teutonic Order

[gmarguli]

Another one from the Stack's sale that just ended, I appear to be the winner of this lot, but no confirmation yet from Stacks.

 

This is a design I really like. I'm working on a denomination set of this design. I've got the 1/4T (MS63), 1/2T (AU50), 2T (AU58), and this replaces an impaired 1T in EF condition that I sold a while back. I need the 3T - a klippe - and the 4T. While Stacks calls this coin "Choice About Uncirculated", I don't see any obvious wear from the picture and I'm hopeful for a nice unc coin to arrive.

 

TEUTONIC ORDER. Grand Master Archduke Maximilian of Austria, 1588-1618. Taler, 1603. Grand Master standing between Austrian shield and helmet. Rv. Armored Knight in circle of 14 shields plus large shield of the Order, domiciled at Mergentheim, Württemberg, after an earlier Grand Master accepted the Reformation in 1526 and transformed the Order's eastern lands into his own hereditary Duchy. Dav.5848. Choice About Uncirculated.

[Jazzy]

That's a stunning piece of artwork.

 

What do the 14 shields represent?

[Architecht]

"Grand Master Archduke Maximilian"... sounds like a rap artist.