Deutscher Orden / Königsberg 1/4 Taler (8 Groschen) 1521 Albrecht von Brandenburg (1511-1525) - War and Emergency Coinage - Neumann LP F

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A Rare Witness of War:

The Teutonic Order / Königsberg 1/4 Taler (8 Groschen) 1521 — Albrecht von Brandenburg (1511-1525)
Grade: Fine (F) with period hole
Weight: 5.04 g
Material: Silver (approx. 564/1000 fine)
Catalog References: Kopicki 9072 (R8 — of exceptional rarity); Neumann 37

Description
This striking coin is a ¼ Taler (8 Groschen), minted in 1521 in Königsberg (today’s Kaliningrad), under the rule of Grand Master Albrecht von Brandenburg-Ansbach of the Teutonic Order (1511-1525). On the obverse, it features a radiant depiction of the Madonna with Child on a crescent moon, encircled by the inscription:
ALBERTVS • DEI • GRA - MARCHIO • BRANDE
The reverse displays a Prussian eagle within a shield set against an ornate cross within a floral rosette, surrounded by:
+ HONOR • MAGISTRI • IVSTICIAM ° DILICIT • 1521
This piece bears an official countermark of the Teutonic Order’s shield, punched after the coin’s initial issue to reduce its nominal value from 8 Groschen to 6 Groschen, reflecting the profound financial strains of the time. Notably, the coin is holed, likely for suspension, and shows minor planchet flaws and a period scratch, consistent with its tumultuous history.

Historical Context: War and Emergency Coinage
This coin was struck amidst the turmoil of the Reiterkrieg (Horsemen’s War) of 1520-1521, a conflict between the Teutonic Order and the Kingdom of Poland. In 1519, Grand Master Albrecht launched an attack on Braunsberg (Braniewo), achieving initial success. However, the Polish forces swiftly invaded the Order’s territory, soon threatening Königsberg itself.
Salvation came in the form of approximately 14,000 German mercenaries, who enabled the Order to repel the Polish advance and turn to besiege Hirschberg. Yet financing this army plunged the Teutonic treasury into crisis.
Thus, in 1521, the Order minted emergency coins (Notmünzen) of low silver content (9-lot or ~564/1000 fine) to pay their troops. These pieces were later redeemed at merely one-third of their face value, illustrating the desperate monetary measures of the time. The most urgent issues were even produced as one-sided klippe coins, likely from makeshift field mints.

The Fate of These Coins and Their Rarity
Most of these emergency coins were later recalled and melted down, accounting for their extraordinary rarity today. Numismatist Bahrfeldt noted from Marienburg records:
“The emergency coins of Grand Master Albrecht rank among the most remarkable issues of Prussian coinage. Recalled and remelted, they are today some of its foremost rarities.”
The Reiterkrieg concluded in 1521 through a four-year truce brokered by Emperor Charles V and King Louis of Hungary. Before the truce expired, Albrecht secularized the Teutonic State, transforming it into the Duchy of Prussiaunder Polish suzerainty in 1525, ending the monastic rule and beginning the Hohenzollern line’s secular governance.

Numismatic Significance
Coins like this are among the greatest rarities of East Prussian numismatics, embodying a critical juncture when the Teutonic Order transitioned from a medieval crusading power into a secular duchy. Each surviving specimen — especially those with countermarks, holes from actual period use, and signs of adjustment like this example — tells a vivid story of war, economic strain, and political transformation.

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