1781 Sede Vacante Thaler (Dav-2210)

Sede Vacante - "the seat being vacant" - is the term for the period between the death of a Catholic bishop or pope and the election of his successor. In Catholic prince-bishoprics of the Holy Roman Empire, the cathedral chapter (Domkapitel) governed the territory during the interregnum and had the right to strike its own coinage in its own name. These "Sede Vacante" issues are some of the most artistically ambitious coins of the 18th century, because each one had to be designed and struck within just a few weeks or months between the bishop's death and the new election.

This thaler was issued by the cathedral chapter of the Prince-Bishopric of Eichstätt (in modern Bavaria) in 1781, following the death of Prince-Bishop Raymund Anton von Strasoldo and before the election of his successor Johann Anton III von Zehmen.

The obverse is a tour de force of late Baroque die engraving: a detailed bird's-eye view of the city of Eichstätt, with the Willibaldsburg fortress, cathedral, and bishop's residence laid out in sharp perspective. Above the city, two angels hold a banner reading SANCTA EYSTETTENSIS CIVITAS ESTO TVTA - "Holy city of Eichstätt, be safe" - while the All-Seeing Eye of God in a triangular Trinity radiates from the clouds with the legend SVB TVTELA SVA - "Under His protection."

The reverse displays the arms of the cathedral chapter at center, surrounded by a ring of the individual coats of arms of all the canons of the chapter who governed during the vacancy. The legend reads CAPITULUM REGNANS SEDE VACANTE - "The Chapter governing during the vacancy of the See" - with the date 1781 and the silver standard "10 EINE FEINE MARCK" (10 to the fine Cologne mark) at the bottom.

Davenport-2210. Sede Vacante thalers are among the most desirable category of German ecclesiastical thalers, and the Eichstätt city-view design is widely considered one of the most beautiful of the entire 18th century.