standard was lowered still further to 14 loth 2 grs. fine (= 8 120⁄254 to the mark of fine silver). But in the accompanying tariff the actual specie thaler-piece was set at 22 groschen, or 66 kreutzers.
The third Imperial Mint Ordinance established an important difference from this system. The actual thaler or silver gulden (= 72 kreutzers) was ordered to be discontinued, and no more minted, and a different basis adopted of silver Reichs guldens = 60 kreutzers, at a tale of 9 1⁄2 to the mark, 14 loth 16 grs. fine.
This intended exclusion of the thaler, however, proved quite ineffectual. Protestations were raised against it, and in the Reichstag at Augsburg the minting of the thaler was again authorised—8 to the mark, 14 loth 4 grs. fine.
The immediately succeeding movement of the thaler is given in the text (see Table, p. [103]).
Further than, as above, it is out of the question in so brief a résumé to specify the minuter confusions and conflicting variations of the German monetary system at the opening of the sixteenth century. During the course of that century three separate attempts were made to establish an imperial system that should displace all minor ones, and thus remedy the confusion.
The first attempt was made by Charles V. in his Imperial Mint Ordinance issued at Esslingen on the 10th November 1524.
The basis of this ordinance was the mark of silver = 8 florins 10 schillings 8 heller, and the pieces ordained were—
1. A silver piece = 1 Rhenish gold gulden, 8 to the mark, 15 loth fine (see the account of the thaler above).
2. Orth, 32 to mark, 15 loth fine.
3. Zähender = 1⁄10 Rhenish gold gulden, 80 to mark, 15 loth fine.
4. Groschen = 1⁄21 Rhenish gold gulden, 12 loth fine, 136 to mark.
Besides these coins, the ordinance recognised temporarily a whole series of then-current pfennige. Thus—