(sold for $9.0)

1576,Friedberg (Free Imperial City). Nice Silver ½ Batzen (2 Kreuzer) Coin. XF!

Condition: XF! Mint Years: 1576 References: MB#6 ($110 in XF!). R! Denomination: ½ Batzen (2 Kreuzer) Diameter: 20mm Material: Silver Weight: 1.2gm

The old city was refounded by the Hohenstaufen dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire, conveniently located at important trading routes. The city initially rivaled Frankfurt am Main economically, with an important annual trading fair, and initial rapid expansion, though its economic fortunes soon dwindled.

City tranquility was hampered by continuous rivalry between the two entities that made up Friedberg: The city and the castle of Friedberg that were politically independent from each other and in permanent competition, often quite maliciously, resulting in bitter rivalry that culminated once in the ransacking and destruction of the castle by angry citizens. In central Italy and Lombardy similar struggles between count and commune fueled the politics of Guelf and Ghibelline parties.

The city became a Free Imperial City (Freie Reichsstadt) of the Holy Roman Empire with a charter given in 1211. Under Napoleon, it was incorporated in the Grand Duchy of Hesse (Hesse-Darmstadt).