Austrian Netherlands 1 escalin 1750 - Maria Theresa - Hand

Netherlands · 1750 · 1 escalin

Circulating coinRare

€18.79estimate

€3.97silver value · 2.68 g fine at today’s price

N28161 KM4

RZReference number RZRZ-KJH4Q

Circulating coin

Escalin of Maria Theresa with the Brabant lion (1749-1750)

The coin's story

This escalin in 535 thousandths silver was struck in 1749 and 1750 in the name of Empress Maria Theresa for the Austrian Netherlands. The Austrian Netherlands, present-day Belgium, then belonged to Maria Theresa of Austria, who reigned from 1740 to 1780 and was represented there by her brother-in-law, the Governor General Charles of Lorraine. In 1749, a major monetary reform sought to restore the sovereign's authority over the coinage of these provinces. The escalin was worth 7/20 of a florin, the obverse shows the lion of Brabant brandishing a sword. Both sides are the work of the engraver Jacques Roëttiers. The hand below the lion is the mark of the Antwerp Mint, while Bruges marked its coins with a lion.

ObverseThe Lion of Brabant

MAR TH D G R JMP G HUN BOH R

Design: The lion of Brabant facing left, brandishing a sword and holding a shield party per pale Austria-Burgundy.
Legend: MAR · TH · D : G · R · JMP · G · HUN · BOH · R · (Maria Theresa, by the grace of God, Empress of the Romans, Queen of Germany, Hungary and Bohemia).
Marks: A hand, mark of the Antwerp Mint.

JREngraved by Jacques Roëttiers

ReverseThe Great Coat of Arms

ARCH AUS DUX BURG BRAB C FL1750

Design: The crowned shield with the arms of Hungary, Bohemia, Brabant and Milan, with a small inescutcheon of Austria and Ancient Burgundy, in a Baroque cartouche set on a Burgundian cross.
Legend: ARCH · AUS · DUX · BURG · BRAB · C · FL · (Archduchess of Austria, Duchess of Burgundy and Brabant, Countess of Flanders).
Date: 1750.

JREngraved by Jacques Roëttiers