This is my first post on a German coin so I believe @trumpman would love it.
This commemorative came from a dealer at my local Coin show. A retired gentleman who originally emigrated from Europe decades ago and now continues to buy, sell and trade coins as a past time. He always books the same table at every show and always willing to cut me a deal if I buy three or more coins from his Bourse table.
“Black birds tend to like shiny things.” ~ The Bloody Raven
Having already selected two Canadian bullion coins from his display case I spotted the sail from among his European album coins he had offered for sale. It didn’t really matter of the final price; we just enjoyed each other’s company for a little while and I learned that he lost his wife not very long ago. His association with the Coin club is his motivation to continue socializing there and to supplement his pension.
Why this coin?
Before I acquired this coin I wasn’t at all familiar with this 650 year old Hanseatic League. It wasn’t a sports team. It wasn’t a business entity like the East India Company. Why I picked this coin? My followers know that I enjoy Theme collecting silver coins that feature sailing ships, then discover the treasure of history.
From the thirteenth century European merchant ships were typically of a Cog configuration. A length of 15 to 25 meters long, innovative by it's shallow draft, raised walls that prevent rough waves swamping the ship and with a single square sail that is easily operated by a few crew.
Examining at the reverse side it is indeed a Cog ship. The scene depicts a Merchant Cog entering a Hanse city harbor. The captain stations at the bow directs the crew and to watch for navigational hazards, one crew member constantly gauges the water depth, the third crew member who usually adjusts the sail appears to be hung over the side seasick 🤢 and the forth is the Steersman.
What is this Hanseatic League?
It is a union or perhaps guild of North European maritime merchants that created an innovative network of trade relationships in and around the Baltic and North Seas. Beginning with the three Hanseatic cities of Luebeck, Brennan and Hamburg the original objectives were to establish secure trade routes and make ship travel safer. By the fifteenth century the network grew to 200 cities, regions and offices all over northern Europe.
In that time, maritime commerce became more sophisticated in the development of a standard maritime Trade law, establishment of a maritime insurance system, Innovative ship design, a documentation system of recording transactions and contracts. A reporting system developed for price lists, weather conditions, market reports, money exchange, standardized correspondence and contracts, a secure coded communication system to prevent the loss of trade secrets, even reports on political developments.
The league grew powerful enough to negotiate trade terms with country’s and monarchs by exacting trade embargos and trade restrictions. There was a time the League had its own army and naval force.
Georg Giese was a Danzig Hanse merchant heading an important London office of the London Steelyard where many merchants meet on regional trade issues. At the league’s heights Georg Giese may have been a central figure representative of many merchants and merchant families the wealth and affluence of this union lead to the rise of the Merchant class. The growth of the Merchant trade lead to educational demand for schools, the refinement and spread of Hanse architecture and culture, and of course raised the standard of living.
There is so much more depth to the history and it’s workings that it is bewildering to me. It has a democratic aspect, the exercise of free capitalism, the longevity of such an institution that defies description and it’s decentralized nature.
By the seventieth century due to the rise in naval power of the English and Dutch, rapidly changing markets in international trade bough on by the East India Company, League power eventually diminished but Hanseatic culture developed the tools of international commerce that are still practiced today.
Hmmm,🤔 could the European monarchs and aristocracy together conspired to take down the democratic and capitalistic Hanse by cutting their access to the East Indies? 🤷♀
Stacking Precious metals and Crypto for those dark stormy days!
The #piratesunday tag is the scurvy scheme of Captain @stokjockey for #silvergoldstackers pirates to proudly showcase their shiny booty and plunder for all to see. Landlubbers arrrh… welcomed to participate and be a Pirate at heart so open yer treasure chests an’ show us what booty yea got! ☠️
References & Sources
1923 100 German Marks Reichsbanknote.
Wiki; Cog sailing ship.
Wiki; Georg Giese.
Photos are my own shot with an ancient 2018 Samsung SM-A530W or otherwise indicated. I'm waiting for my new S24FE, got the case but where's the phone?
P. Image under Pixabay
W. Wiki Commons
☠️🎃 Page Dividers by thekittygirl. ❄️🌞
Cameo Raven Brooch from The Black Wardrobe.
Physical precious metals bullion stacking is only a part of my personal overall financial strategy. Meanwhile, collecting numismatics are a different set of objectives and strategy. Unless you are a complete nutcase as I am please, do your research before deciding to buy into any bullion or numismatic products.