Augustus II Strong Thaler

The most intriguing fact about the Augustus II Strong Thaler is that it bears the image of a monarch who, legend has it, could snap a horseshoe in two, yet these coins were often clipped or worn down by everyday use in 18th-century Poland. Struck in silver, typically from mines in the Saxon Erzgebirge, the thaler featured Augustus's portrait on the obverse, complete with his flowing wig and laurel wreath, symbolizing his dual role as Elector of Saxony and King of Poland.

Production ran from 1697 to 1733, but exact mintages vary by year; some records burned in Prussian archives during the Napoleonic Wars, so we can't pin down precise figures. These pieces were minted on planchets that might have included recycled silver from older coins, reflecting the era's economic strains.

Augustus's thalers financed his military campaigns, like the Great Northern War, but they circulated as mere currency, not treasures. I've handled dozens over the years—sturdy, if unremarkable, for their time. Pity the myths make them sound more exciting than they are.