This is one of these purchases that make the year and the overall hobby so enjoyable.

When collecting coins, and in my specific case,  Talers, one always wonders how these were minted, seeking a connection between the actual coin to the minting venue, technology of the time, and press. As part of my ongoing quest for new Talers, I was able to purchase a pair of screw press coin dies, obverse and reverse of a fabulous German Taler design. Die condition is phenomenal with little wear and lovely toning. The coin depicts Nurnberg's city view and on the reverse, the and the bust of Emperor Ferdinand II.

1629 Nurnberg Taler
DAV: 5644
Emperor Ferdinand II (1617-1637)
Mint Official mint mark (B)
Mint Official : Hans Christoph Lauer
Years at Mint : 1619-1639







Who knows, maybe this Taler came out of this die? Probably not, yet it is fun imagining it did.

OMG!!!! Zohar that is magnificent.........even the dies are toned. A guy after my own heart






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Stef - I showed this to my wife and even she acknowledged this was "kind" of cool.

Stef - I showed this to my wife and even she acknowledged this was "kind" of cool.

She has great taste

I've seen dies on occasion while searching auction sites, but never anything cool like these.  Very nice find! 

I'd love to find a set of dies tp match any one of my jetons.

I have been doing some research for Zohar on the dies he has posted here. The following is a post I posted in another forum :

I've had the photos looked at by three collectors of dies from that time period. I do believe the dies to be the real deal. So far they look good for being the true thing. I've also sent the photos to a family member in Bavaria, that well do more research for you. The photo you set to me today of the writing on the side of the die shaft, was what I needed. The engraving on the side, looks to be from the time period. One thing to remember, is that after a few thousand strikes, the die would either be touched up if could be,… or, a new engraved die was used. If a new engraved die was used, it would not match the first set used 100%. Take the 1632 Archduke Leopold V Taler as an example, of which we had many talks about.

A little info. for you. There were many types of presses used. There were drop presses, roll presses, rocker presses, punch presses and scerw presses. The screw press did not reach central Europe untill a Swedish inventor set one up in Hungary in 1710. Hungary had up to 18 presses working at the Kremnitz mint by the mid 1700's. Also, the Vienna mint had screw presses by the mid 1700's.

New info. for you Zohar :
The first Flywheel press (Screw Press) was invented around 1508 by a Florentine artist, Bramante, to coin a medal. 30 years later, a compatriot of his, Benvenuto Cellini, minted coins with this technique and left a full description of the press that he built.

The two photos show a Neurnberg press from the 1590's and one from the early 1600's. It shows how fast the minting press had changed.

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Don, thanks for helping out. This is some very good info. If you can trace the engravings to a mintmaster/person that would be something.

WOW, this IS SOMETHING!
I'm speechless!

R.

Your dies are great, Zohar, and I, too, like their all-natural toning.  The photos are terrific, too.

I tried to acquire a Civil War Token die of some sort, but was always thwarted.

I'll be satisfied just to look at your dies.  Thanks.  : )