Solms-Laubach: Schnepfenheller nd (1805-1822)

[FosseWay]

Any ideas what this is? Copper, 19.2 mm, 1.42 g.

Seems to be some sort of bird on one side, standing on some vegetation. There are the remains of text above the bird but I can't make it out (not even what language it's in). Can't quite make out the monogram on the other side either - L? EL? SL?

[hwitvlf]

I believe it's a snipe heller from Solms-Laubach (SL) early to mid 1800s.

[translateltd]

Super :-)

Here's a top-grade example:

http://www.ma-shops.com/schwarz/item.php5?id=923&lang=en&curr=USDEUR

[Figleaf]

And I believe you are very right! Künker describes the coin:

DIE GRAFSCHAFT SOLMS-LAUBACH II
GRAF FRIEDRICH LUDWIG CHRISTIAN, 1784-1822
Ku.-Schnepfenheller o. J. (nach 1805), Frankfurt. 1,67 g. Joseph 460; Zilch 2 c. Kl. Flecken, vorzüglich Hinsichtlich der Zuordnung der Schnepfenheller: Adolf Zilch: ,,Schnepfenheller" – Schnepfenpfennige, in: Festschrift 75 Jahre Frankfurter Numismatische Gesellschaft 1981, Melsungen 1981.

County of Solms-Laubach II
Count Friedrich Ludwig Christian, 1784-1822
Copper snipe heller no date (after 1805) , Frankfurt. 1,67 grams. Joseph 460; Zilch 2 c. Small spots, ef. For a detailed attribution of snipe hellers, see: Adolf Zilch: ,,Schnepfenheller" – Schnepfenpfennige, in: Festschrift 75 Jahre Frankfurter Numismatische Gesellschaft 1981, Melsungen 1981.

Peter

[Figleaf]

Date and mint are interesting. Frankfurt was the nearest competitor to Nürnberg for counters and toy coins. The Frankfurt area produced the "Judenpfennige", lightweight coppers that would be ordered in quantity by small lords, powerful enough to be able to press them on his own population, but also by businessmen, trying to cash in on coin scarcity. I know of one instance where a gang of robbers (not too different from small local lords) ordered and used them.

Your copy proves this type circulated.

Peter

[FosseWay]

Impressive identification, thank you.

Something of an unexpected find in a batch of Swedish tokens! Evidently there is no text above the snipe; I think I was confusing the bird's long beak with the base of letters.

So was this an official coin issue? There is no entry at all in KM for Solms-Laubach in the 19th century, and the 18th century entry does not include this coin.

I would agree that this piece at least has circulated!