Bidspirit auction | Austria - Maria Theresa Taler

Austria - Maria Theresa Taler 1780 - Restrike - .8333 Silver, 28.07 g (23.39 g of Pure Silver, 0.752 Ounces) - An Austrian silver taler bearing the portrait of Empress Maria Theresa. The original coin was issued in 1780, the year of the Empress’s death. The offered item, however, is a restrike. Maria Theresa Taler restrikes bear the fixed date 1780, meaning that the date shown on the coin does not necessarily indicate its actual year of production. The Maria Theresa Taler is one of the most widely recognized silver coins in history. It served as legal tender in the Austrian Empire until 1858 and circulated extensively outside Europe, particularly in the Arab world, Ethiopia and India. According to the Austrian Mint, restrikes have been produced since 1857. One side features a portrait of Maria Theresa in her later years, surrounded by the abbreviated Latin inscription: M. THERESIA D. G. R. IMP. HU. BO. REG. The other side depicts the crowned imperial double-headed eagle bearing a coat of arms, surrounded by the inscription: ARCHID. AVST. DUX BURG. CO. TYR. 1780