AUSTRIA. Holy Roman Empire. Maria Theresia, Empress, 1740-1780. Taler (Silver, 39 mm, 28.08 g), blank planchet mint error, with edge inscription, circa 1800-1850. Edge inscirption: IUSTITIA - ET - CLEMENTIA. Nicely toned, very rare and of great numismatic interest. Light marks and adjustment stripes on the reverse, otherwise, very fine.


This striking mint error likely originated in one of the many European or Asian mints that produced the popular Maria Theresa Talers. For reasons unknown, after the flan was adjustet and the edge inscription was applied, the obverse and reverse were never struck.

The edge inscription indicates a restrike from the first half of the 19th century. The planchet’s edge, at 3.5 mm thick, is slightly heavier than that of a fully struck coin, and the letters of the edge legend are correspondingly larger. Once these Talers are properly struck, the metal compresses and the edge thickness is normally reduced to about 2 mm. As a natural consequence of the greater thickness, the planchet also measures only 39 mm in diameter, compared to the usual 41-42 mm.