World of Coins

Modern coins, pseudo coins and trade tokens of other continents => Sub-Saharan Africa => East Africa => Topic started by: Austrokiwi on March 06, 2011, 08:15:40 PM

Title: Madonna Thalers in Ethiopia?
Post by: Austrokiwi on March 06, 2011, 08:15:40 PM
I have been wading through this abysmally flowery writing of William Cornwallis Harris " Highlands of Ethiopia"   I suspect, if he were a live today,  He and I would not get along too well.   I have been trying to read what is apparently his second edition.  In the preface to this edition he notes, in verbose terms,   his numerous critics had noted that his style of writing is such that it obscures the story he was trying to tell.  I tend to agree with those critics.    The problem with his writing is such that I have discovered a tantalising clue but have no idea how reliable it is:  Here's the quote:

Quote
The Highlands of Ethiopia (William Cornwallis Harris)
- Highlight Loc. 1046-49  | Added on Sunday, March 06, 2011, 08:00 PM

.............produce of the interior,—salt and human beings forming, however, the chief articles of barter. Virgin Mary German crowns of Maria Theresa, 1780, as integrals, and strips of raw hide for sandal soles, as fractional s, form the currency of the sea-port; beads, buttons, mirrors, trinkets, empty bottles, snuff, and tobacco, for which latter there is an universal craving, being also received in exchange for the necessaries of life.

This fragment  seems to suggest that the 1780 Madonna Thalers from Kremnitz ( the only mint that produced them) were acceptable in Ethiopia  at the time of his visit.  Equally possible is the man, in attempting to impress upon the world his literary prowess,  has been overly poetic in his description of the standard 1780 MTT.  { In some regions of Ethiopia Maria Theresa's effigy was regarded as being that of  Mary}

Title: Re: Madonna Thalers in Ethiopia?
Post by: Figleaf on March 07, 2011, 12:18:51 AM
There is yet another possibility. The dukes of Bavaria (bordering in Austria) produced large silver coins with the virgin Mary on them. See an example here (http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php/topic,5819.0.html). Note how Duke Max looks like a skinny version of Maria Theresa when you're busy admiring the sound of your own voice.

Peter
Title: Re: Madonna Thalers in Ethiopia?
Post by: Austrokiwi on March 07, 2011, 06:42:12 AM
Quote from: Figleaf on March 07, 2011, 12:18:51 AM
There is yet another possibility. The dukes of Bavaria (bordering in Austria) produced large silver coins with the virgin Mary on them. See an example here (http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php/topic,5819.0.html). Note how Duke Max looks like a skinny version of Maria Theresa when you're busy admiring the sound of your own voice.

Peter

Thanks that would be another option: Not sure what you mean by admiring the sound of my own voice?
Title: Re: Madonna Thalers in Ethiopia?
Post by: Figleaf on March 07, 2011, 08:28:26 AM
The verbose author you so dislike.

Peter
Title: Re: Madonna Thalers in Ethiopia?
Post by: translateltd on March 07, 2011, 08:43:39 AM
The inadequacy of the word "you" in English when it means both "Sie/du" and "man" ...