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½ Grain Rye - City of Hildesheim

Features

Location City of Hildesheim (German States)
Emperor Leopold I (1657-1705)
Type Trade tokens › Business tokens
Year 1658
Composition Copper
Weight 10.13 g
Size 28.48 × 27.53 mm
Thickness 28.48 mm
Shape Square
Technique Klippe
Demonetized Yes
Number
N#
570276

Obverse

Coat of arms of the city of Hildesheim

Lettering: 1658

Reverse

Contains the year of minting and the amount of grains

Lettering:
* (Half Grain) *
ANNO
1658

Edge

Plain

Comments

These tokens made of different metals were given with the grain intended for milling to the millers appointed by the council of the lord of the manor, and by them the former were thrown into a sealed box, for which the miller carried the key, which was opened at the end of each month or quarter of the year, and whereupon the contents were taken out for further accounting.

 

The metal tokens were intended for milling wheat, the copper ones for milling rye, and the lead ones for grinding grain for livestock. A set of four quantitative tokens was issued,  with values ½, 1, 2 and 6 scheffels (bushels), for each of three different types of grain, with each type differentiated by the type of metal: Copper for roggen (rye), brass for weizen (wheat) and light pewtery lead for korn (corn). The values were represented with grains. The shape of the token was used to distinguish in which mills the token could be used: round for the Altstadt (Old Town) and square for the Neustadt (New Town). 

 

Half a grain = 1 Himpten

One grain = 1 Scheffel = 2 Himpten
Two grains = 2 Scheffel

Six grains = 6 Scheffel = 2 Malter

 

In Hildesheim, one Scheffel had a volume of 51.8 litres

 

The Royal Prussian decree of the city in the year 1802 abolished the circulation of these and the other tokens, which had been in use for centuries.

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Date VG F VF XF AU UNC
1658 

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