GERMANY. Sachsen-Albertinische Linie. Kurfürstentum. Friedrich August III, 1763-1806. Taler 1804 (Silver, 40 mm, 28.00 g, 12 h), engravers error with 'EEINE' instead of 'FEINE'. Dresden SGH (mint master S. G. Helbig). FRID•AVGVST•D•G•DVX SAX•ELECTOR Cuirassed bust of Friedrich August III to right. Rev. X•EINE - EINE (sic!) MARK•1804 Coat of arms within wreath. Apparently unpublished with this engravers error. Cf. Buck 226. Cf. Davenport 850. Cf. Kahnt 1093. Minor marks and die breaks, otherwise, very fine.


This exceptional engraver’s error (EEINE instead of FEINE) likely occurred during a die revision associated with a change in personnel at the Dresden mint. Until 1804, Johann Ernst Croll served as the mint master in Dresden, a position he assumed in 1779. He signed his coins with ‘IEC’, ‘IC’, or simply ‘C’. His successor was Samuel Gottlieb Helbig, who held the position until 1813 and used the signatures ‘SGH’ or ‘H’.

Exactly how this striking error came about remains unclear, but it appears to have been discovered and corrected rather quickly. After all, the mistake involves the critical coin standard inscription - ‘ZEHN EINE FEINE MARK’ (meaning ten thalers struck from one mark of fine silver (233,855 g), which corresponded to the Convention standard). As such, only an extremely limited number of these error coins are likely to have entered circulation. In any case, ours is the first recorded example.