a coin of Salzburg

[Figleaf]

I had gone to Salzburg with a shopping list, one for Dale, 38 for me. I'd found all three of Salzburg's coin shops the first evening, but  I could only visit them after the conference. Dale wanted a coin from Leonhard von Keutschach with his arms and the date well visible. There were good omen. At one dinner, in the stately residence of the archbishops, we were seated right below Leo's arms. Visiting the old town, I noticed Leo's arms on the outside of several buildings.

The most promising coin shop was well hidden in an apartment building. The door was locked, nobody answered my knocking and the neighbours said the door was always locked and they hadn't seen anybody there in a long time. Number two shop, a hat maker with some trays of coins in the window, was closed. A small sign saying "Pause" was in the window. The girl in the shop across the street thought the owner was either on vacation or taking a pee. My wife had passed the shop a couple of times and never found it open.

In shop three, an antiques shop with a few nice large gold coins in the window, we were told the coin seller was on vacation, but they knew where things were and could sell them. They just couldn't negotiate on price. There were neat little piles of unpriced 16th century small silver coins they couldn't sell. That rather restricted the choice to a few pfennigs that were above budget or not in accordance with Dale's instructions. The lady offered to show higher denominations. I expected them to be even more out of reach but I know better than to argue with a smiling lady, so I agreed and was rewarded with just the coin I wanted for Dale: a Zweier 1519 in the name of Leonhard von Keutschach (1495 - 1519) Probszt 124 with the arms of Salzburg (half spread eagle, half Bindenschild) and Leo (a turnip), united under a crown with a good sharp date at a fair price.

And no, I didn't get even one of the 38 coins on my own list.

Peter

[Prosit]

Gaius Plinius Secundus, (AD 23 ? August 24, AD 79), better known as Pliny the Elder writes that he considered the turnip one of the most important vegetables of his day, rating it "directly after cereals or at all events after the bean, since its utility surpasses that of any other plant." Pliny praises it as a source of fodder for farm animals, and this vegetable is not particular about the type of soil it grows in and it can be left in the ground until the next harvest, it "prevents the effects of famine" for humans.

Dale

[Figleaf]

This coin inspired me to do an article on Leonhard von Keutschach for Wikipedia.

There is a village called Keutschach am See. Below is its coat of arms. Note the white turnip on a black field in the heart shield: the Keutschach family arms. The device is quite old and its meaning is lost. My favourite speculation would be that the German name for turnip, Rübe, has a sound association with a name, such as Rupert.

Peter

[Prosit]

ahhh Saint Rupert!  I didn't associate Rupert (660-710 or thereabouts) with the turnip.  Don't know if it is factual or not but it is a wonderful bit of speculation.  I hope it is true 
Dale

[bruce61813]

Are the other two items "Leeks" ? They look like it, and I wouldn't be surprised if they were.

Bruce

[Figleaf]

I found them intriguing also, but there's no explanation of the arms on the net. I thought of wheat sheaves, but leeks are another possibility. The yellow and black stripes remind me of a French nobleman whose name I forgot. His soldiers were known as the wasps ...

Peter

[Prosit]

There is not a lot of literature about Austria Slazburg etc from this time period, at least I have not ran into much.  I have the Bachtell books (three volumes) but they only show large denomination coins.  I have a very SLIM pamphlet showing some types from this period and earlier but it doesn't have many.  Someday I will buy the two volumes of the "Osterreichische Munzpragungen 1519-1938" but it is a bit expensive.

Dale