1623 Salzburg Taler

[Zohar444]

Received this today from the Heritage win. Early Salzburg type, with a much cruder minting process. Sharp strike with some minor planchet flaws, neverthless not easily found in such condition.

Salzburg
1623 Paris of Lodron (1619-1653) Taler
DAV-3497      
MS-63 NGC





 

[coinsarefun]

My  exact thoughts before I read your description!
Great pickup!!

[regandon]

Very nice piece 

A little info for you to add to your records : The family was from South Tyrol, the family seat was at Lodrone Legertal. Paris Lodron was born at Castle Castelnuovo di Norna, and he was the son of the Imperial governor of Tyrol Colonel Nicholas Lodron and Dorothea von Welsperg.

[Zohar444]

Don, you always add that piece of history that brings the coin to life.

Found some background - Already by the 11th Century, Castelnuovo di Noarna dominated the Vallagarina valley with its imposing presence, having been rebuilt from its own ruins after a probable previous life as a fortification during the Roman era. Its inhabitants went by the same name as the castle and had possession of it during the strife-ridden era of the wars between the Guelfi and Ghibellini. In Vallagarina in 1177, due to the assassination of Adalpreto, prince-bishop of Trento, violent armed clashes broke out in which Castel Noarna was seriously damaged, along with other fortresses and castles in the valley.

In that period the Castelnuovo fiefdom already encompassed the communities of Noarna, Castellano and Pomarolo. At the end of 1200, the Castelnuovo family fell from power for unknown reasons and the castle passed to the Castelbarco family, one of the most important families of the principality of Trento, whose fiefdoms at the time included nearly all of the Vallagarina, holdings in the city of Trento, the castle of Sabbionara D’Avio and territories in the vicinity of Verona and Belluno.

The castle subsequently passed to the Lodron family in 1456 after a long dispute with the Castelbarcos that involved first hand the Republic of Venice, which became guarantor and supported the Lodrons in order to guarantee future support in the valley. In the meantime the Castel Noarna fiefdom was further extended and comprised all the hill country to the right of the Adige, from Reviano to Aldeno. A key character in the history of the Lodron family was Nicolò who, appointed to the fief in 1532, married Gentilia Contessa d’Arco with whom he had a son by the name Gasparo, and a second marriage to Beatrice di Castellalto, who bore him Paride and Susanna. Under his direction the castle took on its present appearance, transforming the fort previously used for defense into a noble residence. Nicolò Lodron had new residential wings constructed for the castle, as well as the frescoes in the main staircase and those of the winter garden.

Paride (1586-1653), son of Nicolò, became prince-bishop of Salzburg in 1606. During his tenure the construction of Salzburg Cathedral was completed under the guidance of master architect Santino Solari. Solari was summoned to Villalagarina for the construction of the Chapel of San Ruperto, a small masterpiece decorated with precious stuccowork and frescoes in the Baroque style. Massimiliano Lodron, nephew of Nicolò, was responsible for the series of battle frescoes that are located in the stuba magna, and in fact we see reproduced the coats-of-arms of Lodron, his wife Sibilla Fugger and his mother, Anna Berka.