Expert: Brad Swain - 1/25/2010

Question
I would like to ask for some help about Prussian talers, also known as "ortstaler", "Viertaler", "achtzehngroscher". They were minted at 16-18 centuries, officially banned in the middle of 19 century. Sometimes they are called "Prussia-Brandenburg" orts.
Is there any data regarding the official weight and finess of the Prussian orts? I have searched nearly all book available, but only to find nothing.


Answer
Hi Vytautus, The Ortstaler was a quarter Thaler (18 groschen). The monetary system was so complicated and confused that standards changed over generations though.
No actual coin weights or finenesses are available on these in the Standard Catalog of World Coins but the median between the 1/3 thaler (24 groschen) and 1/6 thaler (12 groschen) may be estimated to possibly fit the ort.
So the 1/4 Thaler may be about 60% silver, about 6.85 grams, about .1341 of an ounce of silver.
Sorry I can't be more exact with actual information.
Brad