GERMANY. Hessen. Landgrafschaft. Wilhelm I, 1483-1493. Dickabschlag (Piéfort) of a so-called 'Breit-' or 'Pilgergroschen' (Silver, 29 mm, 29.24 g, 4 h), in the weight of a Taler. Kassel, no date (1492). VIL' SEI' OR (Jerusalem cross) - (sword with beret on tip) LAT' GRAV Hessian Landgrave’s helmet with crest, set upon the quartered Hessian shield bearing the coat of arms of Ziegenhain, Nidda, and two Hessian lions. Rev. MONET•' NO-VΛ•CΛSSELLES Crowned and nimbate St. Elizabeth of Hungary (Elisabeth von Thüringen) standing facing, holding Marburg church in her left hand and a jug in her right; in the left field, Hungarian coat of arms; in the right field, Hessian coat of arms. Anton Günther II von Schwarzburg-Arnstadt Collection (1712) p. 127 (very likely this coins). Hofmann (Münzschlüssel) p. 281f. Hoffmeister 180. Madei 1236. Müller 1651 (note). Schütz 358.1. Sedgwick-Berend Collection (Hess, 30 October 1887) 52. Exceedingly rare, one of probably only two known examples, and the only one in private hands. Beautifully toned and of the highest historical and numismatic interest. Minor marks, flan faults and some doubling on the reverse, otherwise, very fine.



The 'Dickabschlag' (‘thick striking’ in German) of the 'Pilgergroschen' (‘Pilgrim Groat’ in German) issued under Wilhelm I of Hesse (1466-1515), known as ‘the Elder’, ranks among the most compelling numismatic creations of the late medieval period. Rarely does a single coin bring together such a rich interplay of personal devotion, dynastic messaging, and forward-looking monetary significance.

Its origins lie in one of the defining experiences of Wilhelm’s life: his pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1491-92. In undertaking this journey, the Landgrave embarked on an enterprise that, in the medieval imagination, represented the pinnacle of Christian devotion. Yet such expeditions were never purely spiritual. They also functioned as powerful statements of status and legitimacy, reinforcing a ruler’s standing both at home and abroad. At the same time, they could entail consequences that were neither political nor devotional: it was likely during these travels, amid numerous courtly encounters, that Wilhelm contracted syphilis, a condition that would ultimately force his abdication in 1493 on account of ‘mental derangement’.

Wilhelm’s journey was marked by violence, devastating earthquakes, and perilous sea passages, and it left a deep and lasting impression on the noble pilgrim. Determined to preserve the memory of his pilgrimage in a form that would endure, he introduced the 'Pilgergroschen,' struck in Kassel shortly after his return. Although intended for circulation, this new coin unmistakably carried the character of a commemorative issue and is widely considered the earliest memorial coinage of Hesse. Its imagery is closely tied to the pilgrimage itself. The obverse displays the Jerusalem cross alongside the papal pilgrim’s sword and hat, as well as the insignia of the Neapolitan Order of the Griffin, conferred upon Wilhelm during his travels. The reverse features Saint Elisabeth of Thuringia, an ancestral figure of great importance to the Hessian dynasty and a lasting embodiment of piety and legitimacy.

The present 'Dickabschlag' from the 'Pilgergroschen' dies takes this already remarkable type into an altogether different realm. Struck on an exceptionally thick and heavy flan, it was clearly never meant for everyday use. Instead, such pieces are best understood as donatives - prestige objects distributed within a courtly context, intended to convey favor, status, and distinction. Their function was as much symbolic as it was material.

Examples of 'thick strikings' from the 15th century are exceedingly rare, even more so than their later counterparts. In fact, only two 'thick strikes' of Wilhelm's already very rare 'Pilgergroschen' have ever been recorded (see below). The original output must have been minimal, underscoring their character as highly selective productions intended for a narrow circle.

Beyond their rarity, these coins are of considerable importance within the broader evolution of European coinage. Weighing approximately 29 grams, they correspond closely to the emerging taler standard that would soon reshape monetary systems across the continent. In this sense, the Hessian 'thick striking' may be regarded as an early precursor of this development. Although not intended as a circulating denomination, it nevertheless aligns in both weight and concept with the large silver coins introduced in Tyrol in the late 15th century, which would go on to exert a lasting influence on global currency systems.

The exceptional nature of this issue did not escape the notice of early scholars. By the 17th and 18th centuries, it was already being described as an extremely rare and important Taler (cf. L. W. Hoffmann: Münzschlüssel, Nuremberg 1683, pp. 281f.; and D. S. Madai: Thalercabinet, Königsberg 1765, pp. 395f.). One of the two known specimens is now housed in the Hessian State Museum in Kassel; it had previously been auctioned in 1887 for the then remarkable sum of 680 Gold Marks. The second example can be traced to the collection of Count Anton Günther II of Schwarzburg-Arnstadt (1653-1716), who later sold it to Duke Frederick II of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (1676-1732).

This piece remained in the ducal collection in Gotha until 1945, when it was taken to safety, together with many other coins, before the establishment of Soviet occupation. While many of the ducal coins were auctioned by the princely family in the 1950s through Münzen & Medaillen and Hess-Leu, the subsequent whereabouts of the Gotha 'Dickabschlag' became unknown. Unfortunately, this specimen is documented only by an early 18th-century steel engraving; no photographic record from the Gotha collection survives. As a result, it cannot be established with complete certainty whether the piece presented here is identical with the Gotha specimen. However, given that only two examples have ever been recorded in scholarship and in the trade, and that the Gotha specimen has not resurfaced in the past eighty years, it appears highly likely that the present piece is, in fact, that very coin - a circumstance that only heightens the importance of a 'Dickabschlag' which ranks among the most important and numismatically significant products of German late medieval coinage.