1/12 of a thaler (double groschen)

The two-groschen of Charles XI (1655-1697) were minted in Szczecin during the intensified monetary crisis, which span over large areas of the Reich in the last quarter of the 17th century. Illegal minting and the production of low-value coins contributed significantly to the crisis. The governor of the Swedish Pomerania, Count Nils Bielke (1644-1716), also proceeded with this illegal practice, looking for a source of additional income. In 1688, he ordered the entire staff of the mint in Szczecin to be replaced, and the new employees, led by the mintmaster Johann Leonard Arensburg (1665-1719), secretly proceeded to mint coins inconsistent with the applicable 12-thalar mint rate. The money counterfeited in this way, primarily 2/3 and 1/3 of a thaler, was transported by a double-floor postal vehicle to Hamburg and exchanged there. Both Governor Bielke and Mintmaster Arensburg, who managed the mint in 1688-1695, benefited enormously from trading money. The presented coin is signed with the initials ILA of Arensburg and differs from previous issues in the image decorating the obverse. Instead of a crowned griffin with a sword, the new stamp features a crowned five-square coat of arms with Pomeranian coats of arms, surrounded by royal titulature and a Pomeranian ducal title. The reverse bears the name of the denomination and the maxim referring to God. It is worth adding that in 1694 two-groschen dated 1664 were minted. It was not a mistake of a stamp engraver, but a deliberately chosen year in which the mint ceased operations in order to hide the poor-quality issue. Genowefa Horoszko