GERMANY. Sachsen-Ernestinische Linie. Kurfürstentum. Johann Friedrich der Großmütige, 1532-1547. Dreifacher Schautaler (Silver, 46 mm, 87.55 g, 12 h), so-called 'Pesttaler', no date (1542-1547). GLEIC*WI*DI*SLANG*SO*MVS*DES* - *MESNSEN*SON*ERHOET*WERDEN* / *AVF*D3 - AL DI*AN*IN*GLAV - BEN*HABN*D3*EB - IC*LEB // *IOAN - NES*3* Christ crucified, wearing crown of thorns and a cloth around his waist; to his left and right, eleven kneeling and praying men. Rev. *DER*HER*SPRAC*3V*MOSE*MAC*DIR*EIN*ERNE*SLANG*VND*RICT*SI*3VM / *3EIGEN*AVF*WER*GEPISN*IST*VND*SICT*SI*AN*DER*SOL*LEB // NVM - RI*ZI Serpent Nehushtan on cross; to its left and right, twelve kneeling and praying men; below, four dying men, poisoned by five fiery flying serpents. Donebauer -, cf. 4291 (Taler). Katz -, cf. 11 (Taler). Opitz -, cf. 4336 (2 Talers). Extremely rare. Nicely toned and of great interest. Minor doubling and small areas of weakness, otherwise, very fine.



These legendary so-called 'Pesttalers' were minted during the Reformation as a bold expression of a new understanding of money. Unlike traditional coins, they bear no portraits of rulers, let alone of Catholic emperors or their titles. Instead, the whole space is devoted entirely to biblical scenes from both the Old and New Testaments.

The obverse features the Crucifixion, accompanied by a reference to John 3:14-16. This passage draws a striking parallel between the serpent Nehustan that Moses raised in the dessert and the Son of God on the cross - both offering salvation to those who look upon them in faith.

The reverse places Nehustan (‘serpent’ or ‘brass’ in Hebrew) at its center, illustrating the account from Numbers 21:6-9. In this dramatic scene, the Israelites, having strayed from their faith, are punished by God with fiery flying serpents. To save his people, Moses erects Nehustan, which grants protection to all who gaze upon it.

Originally intended as trade coins, these pieces soon gained a reputation for their supposed protective powers due to their deeply religious imagery. This belief led to their widespread use as amulets, earning them the name ‘Pesttaler’ (‘plague talers’ in German). People wore them as charms, trusting they would ward off misfortune - including the dreaded plague itself. Because of their function as protective talismans, most surviving specimens show signs of wear, tooling, or piercings for suspension. Untouched examples, free of such alterations, are exceptionally rare. Moreover, later cast copies are common, while well-preserved original strikes - like our piece - are among the true rarities of Saxon numismatic history, offering a glimpse into a profoundly religious era.

The exact origin of these coins remains uncertain. While they were likely first struck in Joachimsthal (Jáchymov), production expanded in the 1540s to mints in Hameln (Hamelin) and Hannover (Hanover).