Conventionsthaler

The Conventionsthaler (Conventionstaler, Konventionstaler) was a standard silver coin of the Holy Roman Empire. It was introduced in 1754 and contained one tenth of a Cologne mark of silver or 23.3856 grams. Its most famous example is the Maria Theresa thaler which is still minted today.

Conventionthalers of Franz I of Austria, 1822 & Friedrich August of Saxony, 1813

The Austrian Empire introduced the Conventions currency standard in 1754 to replace the Leipzig standard of 1690, after a drop in the gold-silver price ratio from 15 to 14.5 in the 1730s unleashed a flood of cheaper thalers defined in gold. The Leipzig standard defined the North German thaler currency unit at 3/4 the Reichsthaler specie of 25.984 g, or 19.488 g fine silver. In contrast, in 1741 the gold Friedrich d'or pistole of 6.05 g fine gold was issued for 5 thalers. This resulted in a cheaper Thaler Gold worth 1.21 g fine gold or 1.21 x 14.5 = 17.545 g fine silver.

The Conventionsthaler succeeded the Reichsthaler specie (containing 25.984 g fine silver) as the standard coin in most of the Holy Roman Empire, with a variety of subdivisions being used:

• 1 Conventionsthaler = 2 Austro-Hungarian gulden, each gulden equal to 20 groschen or 60 kreuzer.
• 1 Conventionsthaler = 2.4 South German gulden, each also containing 60 kreuzer.
• 1 Conventionsthaler = 11⁄3 North German thaler currency unit, each of 24 groschen.

During the early 19th century, the Conventionsthaler of 11⁄3 thaler (17.5392 g fine silver per thaler) was superseded in Northern Germany by the Prussian thaler containing 1/14th a Cologne mark or 16.70 g fine silver, while the Conventionsthaler of 2.4 South German gulden (9.73 g fine silver per gulden) was superseded by the 2.7-gulden Kronenthaler containing 9.524 g fine silver per gulden.