Obverse: Minerva with spear, olive-spray and shield, flanked by cupids, which are holding symbols of justice, plenty, peace and prosperity.
Legend: DEO O . M . AVSPICE SVAVITER ET FORTITER SED IVSTE NEC SIBI SED SVIS .
Comment: Beehive to right, sun with human face smiling and shining above!
Reverse: Crowned and mantled multiple coat-of-arms, flanked by two standing wildmen. Sword and crozier in background.
Legend: AVGVSTVS . D:G . EP . SPIR . S . R . I . P . ET . P . WEISS . EL . 29 . MAI . CONSECR . 16 . SEPT . 1770 .
Comment: Mint master´s initials (A-S) in outer fields, value in silver mark (20 EINE FEIN MARC) below.
Mintage: 5,000 pcs.
Mint Place: Mannheim
Reference: Ehrend 7/39, KM-68. RR!
Mint Master: Anton Schaffer (AS, die-cutter; mint master)
Diameter: 32 mm
Weight: 14 gram of Silver
The Bishopric of Speyer (formerly known as Spires in English) was an ecclesiastical principality in what is today the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. It was secularized in 1803. The prince-bishop resided in Speyer, a Free Imperial City, until the 14th century when he moved his residence to Uddenheim (Philippsburg) then Bruchsal in large part due to the tense relationship between successive prince-bishops and the civic authorities of the Free City, officially Protestant since the Reformation. The prince-provostry of Wissemburg in Alsace was ruled by the prince-bishop of Speyer in a personal union relationship.