Maria Theresia Taler Restrike Variants

THE MARIA THERESIA BUST TALERS
And How To Attribute The Restrike

THE RESTRIKE | MODERN RESTRIKE VARIETIES | EARLY RESTRIKE VARIETIES | ORIGINAL TALERS

A SHORT HISTORY | RESTRIKE DESIGN FEATURES

THE RESTRIKE

In numismatics, "restrike" refers to a coin that has been produced using the original dies. In the case of the Maria Theresia Talers (MTTs), it also refers to coins produced using the orginal design.

The 1780 Large Mature Bust (Dav.1151, KM23, S·F·/·X) has been authorized under Austrian law for use as restrikes since the death of Maria Theresia. The original design was struck at the Gunzburg Mint (then part of the Habsburg Empire, now southern Germany) in the last year of Maria Theresia's life. Since that time, this trade coin has been restruck millions of times by several different nations with minor design variations.

MODERN RESTRIKE VARIANTS

Modern (19th, 20th & 21st Century) Maria Theresia bust Talers have a number of design features which can be used to determine a coin's mint and strike date; the brooche, diadem and mint master's initials on the coin's obverse, and the center shield, cross type and number of tail feathers located directly below the large center shield on the reverse. The following table illustrates these major design features to aid collectors in attributing their modern talers.

Obverse: Brooche Type: III	Obverse: Initals: S·F·	Reverse: Center Shield Type: C	Reverse: Cross Type: (e)	Reverse: Tail Feathers	Obverse: Pearls in Diadem	Hafner Number / Mint	Strike date
	S·F·			1-3-1	8 (Vienna)	H49a, Vienna H50a, Vienna H51 Vienna H52, Vienna H54, Vienna H55, Vienna H57, Vienna H58, Vienna H60, Vienna H61a, Vienna H62, Vienna H67a, Birmingham H68, Brussels H69, Paris H70, Paris H71, Rome	1860-90/1900 1890 unk unk 1900-30 1960 1930-45/60 1932-35 1945/50-60 1960-86 1986 1952-55 1937-57 1937-42 1949-55/60 1935-39
				1-2-1	8 (London)	H63, London H64, Bombay H65, Calkutta H66, Birmingham	1936-61 1940 1940-42 1949

EARLY 1780 RESTRIKE DESIGN VARIETIES

It is important to note that many different Mints produced similar, but sometimes different variations, of the authorized bust restrike design for over 225 years. Currently, 155 varieties have been identified with more being found all of the time, but it is not feasible to list them all here. The following table presents some of the most common features of the early restrike designs.

IC-FA - Rev: IC-FA located below the eagle's claws, "IC" on the left and "FA" on the right, (Vienna Mint).
SF/·X· - Obv: S·F· located under the bust. Rev: ·X· located after the date as 1780·X·.
FS - Obv: FS located under the bust (Venice Mint).
ST-SF - Obv: ST-SF located under the bust, "ST" in smaller type over S·F· (Milan Mint).
PS-IK - Rev: PS-IK located below the eagle's claws "PS" on the left and "IK" on the right.
B-SK-PD - Obv: "B" located under bust. Rev: SK-PD located below the eagle's claws, "SK" on the left and "PD" on the right, (Kremnitz Mint, Hungary).
AH-GS - Obv: smaller bust with a different broach and dress. Rev: AH-GS located below the eagle's claws, "AH" on the left and "GS" on the right,(Karlsburg Mint).

If you believe that you have an early restrike that isn't addressed above and you need more information to attribute your coin, then I recommend you use the Maria Theresia Taler Variants web site, which describes all of the varieties found to date. Presented are the design variations in brooch, shield, signature, cross and tail feather arrangements 1780 to the present. Just be prepared to view an intense amount of information.

- ORIGINAL (BUST) THALER DESIGNS -

Dav.1109, KM1964, Vienna Mint, 1741-44, Rev: Crowned arms
Dav.1110, KM1965, Vienna Mint, 1744-45, Rev: Griffon supporters
Dav.1111, KM1966, Vienna Mint, 1746-52, Diademed young bust right
Dav.1112, KM1967, Vienna Mint, 1753, More mature armored bust right
Dav.1112, KM1967a, Vienna Mint, 1754-65, More mature armored bust right
Dav.1113, KM1968, Vienna Mint, 1758, 1765, (Young) armored bust right
Dav.1114, KM1969, Vienna Mint, Veiled bust right
Dav.1115, KM1970, Vienna Mint, 1767-72, Veiled head right
Dav.1116, KM1971.1, Vienna Mint, 1772-79, Smaller veiled head right
Dav.1117, KM1971.2, Vienna Mint, 1780, Obv larger bust, Rev IC-FA located below Eagles claws.
KM1972, Ordens Mint, 1769 IC-SK, Veiled head right w/jeweled bust
Dav.1118, KM545, Graz Mint, 1765, Draped bust
Dav.1119, KM546, Graz Mint, 1765, Armored bust
Dav.1120, KM743, Hall Mint, 1746-65, Bust right in decorated gown
Dav.1121, KM744, Hall Mint, 1751-53 Bust right w/ plain gown
Dav.1121, KM745, Hall Mint, 1754-65, Bust right w/ plain gown
Dav.1122, KM746, Hall Mint, 1751-65, Mature armored bust right
Dav.1123, KM747, Hall Mint, 1765-72, Veiled bust right
Dav.1124, KM748, Hall Mint, 1772-76, Obv. smaller veil on bust, Rev. initials
Dav.1125, KM328.1, Hungary, 1741, Obv. leg: MA.THERESIA-D:G:REG:HUNG:BOH
Dav.1125A, KM328.2, Hungary, 1741-42, Obv. leg. ends:.. HUNG:BO
Dav.1125B, KM328.3, Hungary, 1741-42, Obv. leg: MA. Theresia.., ends:.. HUN:BO
Dav.1126, KM328.4, Hungary, 1743-44, Obv. leg: MA. Theresia.., ends:.. HUN:BO
Dav.1127, KM333, Kremnitz Mint, Hungary, 1743-44 O, Obv: modified hair style, leg ends: ...HO:BO, Rev: mint marks KM, large K left of rays at 09:00, large M right of rays at 03:00
Dav.1128, KM337.1, Kremnitz Mint, Hungary, 1744-45, Obv: smaller bust, Rev: mint marks KM, large K left of rays at 09:00, large M right of rays at 03:00
Dav.1129, KM337.2, Kremnitz Mint, Hungary, 1746-48, Obv. leg: M.THER...
Dav.1130, KM349.1, Kremnitz Mint, Hungary, 1749-52, Rev: larger shield below Madonna, mintmarks KM, small K left of rays at 07:00, small M right of rays at 05:00
Dav.1131, KM349.2, Hungary, 1751·X·, Rev: larger shield below Madonna
Dav...., KM349.3, Hungary, 1752·X·, modified drapery
Dav.1132, KM358.1, Hungary, 1751-65·X·
Dav.1135, KM358.2, Hungary, 1763, (reported, not confirmed) Mint mark NB
Dav....., KM358.3, Hungary, 1766, Mint mark K
Dav....., KM378, Hungary, 1763-64·X·, Decorative gown, Mint mark KB
Dav.1136, KM1539, Prague Mint, 1746-50, Bust right
Dav.1136A, KM1540, Prague Mint, 1751-60, Bust right, Rev. X after date
Dav.1137, KM1541, Prague Mint, 1758-59, Mature bust right, Rev. Crowned Imperial Eagle w/crowned arms of St. Joachim and Bohemia on breast, and crossed battle axes below eagle.
Dav.1138, KM1542, Prague Mint, 1767-72, Veiled head right
Dav.1139, KM1543, Prague Mint, 1773-75, Head right w/ smaller veil
Dav.1140, KM1544, Prague Mint, 1780, Large head veiled right
Dav.1147, KM15, Burgau Mint, 1764-65, Armored bust right
Dav.1149, KM21, Burgau Mint, 1765-72, Veiled bust right
Dav.1150, KM22, Burgau Mint, 1773-80, Bust w/ smaller veil, Rev. leg: ARCHID·AUSTDUX·
Dav.1151, KM23, Burgau Mint, 1780 SF/X/, Large mature bust, Rev. leg: ARCHID·AVST·DUX·

View Eight Toned Restrikes by selecting the coin at the right.

Resource List:

Der Maria Theresia Taler 1780 by Dr. Fanz Leypold
"Lexicon of the MARIA THERESIEN TALER", by Walter Hafner
The 1780 Restrike Talers of Maria Theresia, M.R. Broome, as presented in the 1972 Numismatic Chronicle, Seventh Series, Volume XII, by the Royal Numismatic Society
Mince Marie Terezie, 1740-1780, by Vlastislav Novotny, Hodonin 2001
The Standard Catalog of World Coins, 18th Century 1701-1800, Second Edition, Krause Publications 1997
Corpus Nummorum Regni Mariae Theresia, Tassilo Eypeltauer 1973
The Comprehensive US Silver Dollar Encyclopedia, John W. Highfill 1992
Royal Austrian Mint
Royal Austrian Mint's Restrike brochure with coin
Encyclopedia Britannica
Elgin Coin Club Newsletter
Oman and the Maria Theresia Taler, by Viju James
Catalogo Alfa delle Monete Italiane e Regioni, Alfa Edizioni, Torino

Translation assistance - Martin Purdy, Translation from W. European Languages

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