1/6 Thaler Silver Duchy of Anhalt-Bernburg (1856-1862 | Part of the Coat of Arms of Saxony-Anhalt)

1/6 Thaler Anhalt-Bernburg: The Ascanian Bear on Genuine Circulation Silver

• Genuine original from Old Germany: small coin of the Duchy of Anhalt-Bernburg, minted between 1856 and 1862
• Precious metal: silver with a fineness of 520/1,000 at 5.3 g gross weight – around 2.75 g of pure fine metal
• Handy format: 22 mm diameter, face value 1/6 Thaler
• Design with high recognition value: the crowned bear on the battlement wall – to this day part of the coat of arms of Saxony-Anhalt
• Mint: Berlin, identifiable by the mint letter "A" beneath the year
• Minting quality: naturally grown circulation quality rather than modern Proof (PP) – here it's history that counts, not high gloss
• Tax advantage: profits from the sale of privately held assets are generally tax-free after a minimum holding period of one year

A sixth-Thaler fits in any pocket – yet it carries an entire princely house along with it. This coin was legal tender in the Duchy of Anhalt-Bernburg, one of the many small states of the German Confederation (1815–1866). The country was ruled by Alexander Carl (1834–1863), the last reigning Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg; after his death in August 1863, the Anhalt territories merged to form the Duchy of Anhalt. Whoever holds this piece in hand is therefore holding the currency of a state that has not existed for over 160 years.

Bear on the Wall: A Coat of Arms That Has Outlasted a Federal State

The obverse shows the striding, crowned Ascanian bear on a battlement wall with an open gate, surrounded by the legend HERZOGTHUM ANHALT-BERNBURG. This exact image lives on: (cite index="12-1">The lower field of the coat of arms of the state of Saxony-Anhalt shows, on silver, a striding black bear on a red battlement wall with black mortar joints and an open gate – (cite index="12-2">the state coat of arms thus draws on the coats of arms of the Prussian Province of Saxony and the Free State of Anhalt and was adopted by the state parliament in 1991. A motif, then, that has made the leap from a small 19th-century state into the present day. For collectors with a regional connection, this is a strong argument; for everyone else, it is simply a beautiful piece of heraldry.

"CLXXX EIN PFUND FEIN" – What the Reverse Reveals

On the reverse, between two bound laurel branches, is the denomination "6 EINEN THALER" along with the year and the mint letter A for Berlin. The inscription CLXXX EIN PFUND FEIN is the mint standard: 180 pieces from one pound of fine silver. On the smooth edge is the motto GOTT SEGNE ANHALT. The pieces from 1861 and 1862 were issued as 1/6 Vereinsthaler under the Vienna Monetary Treaty, catalogued as AKS 19 or Jaeger 71 respectively; the 1856 year of issue is listed as AKS 18 / Jaeger 65. Mintages remained modest: around 61,620 pieces are recorded for 1861 A, and about 60,000 pieces for 1862 A – figures that appear almost tiny compared to modern bullion coin mintages.

Condition: Circulated Coinage with a Story

These pieces are circulated coinage – and they look the part. Darker patina, individual centering, small nicks, wear, and areas where parts of the legend are more faintly struck: these are not flaws but biography. Every trace stems from hands that, centuries ago, used it to settle goods, freight, or debts. So do not expect a mirror-like Proof surface or uniformly superbly preserved showpieces, but honest, well-used silver. Since the year of minting, mint, and reverse variant may differ, the piece delivered may vary from the image shown. Please understand the photo in the shop explicitly as a sample image: appearance, exact weight, and condition vary from piece to piece for historical reasons. You are purchasing an original.

It is not the polish that creates the appeal, but the fact that this coin truly did its work.

Comparison: How Does the Sixth-Thaler Measure Up?

• Compared to the large Vereinsthaler or the Ausbeutethaler: the Thaler coins are heavier, have a higher silver content, and are visually more imposing – but also considerably more capital-intensive. The 1/6 Thaler is the affordable entry point into the same collecting field.
• Compared to 2 1/2 Silbergroschen from Anhalt: the smaller denomination brings less metal and a smaller surface area. At 22 mm, the sixth-Thaler offers more space for the bear motif.
• Compared to modern bullion coins: troy ounce coins deliver more fine metal per piece and are purer. Historic silver coins like this one score instead with rarity, age, and numismatic appeal that no new minting can replicate.

A Tangible Asset with History – For Collectors and Preservers

For millennia, silver has served as money, a medium of exchange, and a symbol of wealth; like gold, humanity's oldest currency, it has outlived every paper currency it has ever accompanied. Its intrinsic value stems from its physical properties and broad industrial demand – electronics, solar technology, and medical technology continuously draw on it, while supply remains limited. This is precisely why many investors value physical precious metal as an inflation hedge and as tangible crisis protection. A small denomination like the 1/6 Thaler is particularly practical here: divisible, unobtrusive, and liquid at any time.

For collectors, the sixth-Thaler from Anhalt-Bernburg is a rewarding object in any case – as a building block of an Old German collection, as a gift with regional relevance for people from Saxony-Anhalt, or as a tangible history lesson for the next generation. Preserving value across generations and holding a piece of German coin history in one hand: this small silver piece can do both.