Question: I recently heard a world coin dealer discussing a “Champagne” thaler. What in the world is a “Champagne” thaler and how did it come into being?
Answer: This question sent me to the research stacks! In the mid-1800s a German State released a new silver double thaler, a large and hefty coin by any standards. At the time a bottle of champagne sold for two thalers, and the public couldn’t resist calling the new coins “champagne” thalers. These large and unwieldy coins were not popular, and many of them were probably spent at liquor merchants throughout the various German States. This double thaler was supposed to be adapted by all the German States and be equal to 3.5 gulden or 7.42 francs on the international monetary scene, but only a few of the German States were on board and those that were issued the double thalers only intermittently. No doubt it represented yet another failure at creating a universal coinage and only traded within certain German States. Two thalers for a bottle of bubbly would seem to be a steal in today’s marketplace!
