How to Identify the Hanover 1/6 Thaler

Start with the horse. The defining feature of Hanover / Brunswick-Luneburg coinage is the leaping or rearing horse (the Saxon Steed) shown in profile on the obverse. If your coin has this galloping horse surrounded by a Latin legend, you are almost certainly looking at a Hanover-family issue rather than another German state.

Confirm the denomination. Turn to the reverse and find where the value is stated as a sixth of a Thaler. Late-17th-century German fractional silver almost always spells out or marks its fraction plainly, so a clearly indicated 1/6 value alongside the date 1688 confirms both the type and the year.

Check size and metal. The 1/6 Thaler is a modest silver coin, noticeably smaller and lighter than a full Thaler but larger than the tiny silver denominations. It should be non-magnetic with the honest weight and ringing tone of period silver; a dull, magnetic, or under/overweight piece points to a replica.

Rule out look-alikes. The same horse appears on many other Brunswick-Luneburg and later Hanover denominations (1/12, 1/4, full Thaler and beyond) and across different reigns, so do not rely on the horse alone. Read the fraction and date carefully to separate a 1/6 Thaler from its larger and smaller relatives, and check the ruler named in the legend.

Authenticate carefully. Genuine 1680s silver shows slightly irregular hand-striking, period lettering, and natural toning rather than a flawless machine finish. Weight and diameter should match published specifications for the type. For any coin of value, seek third-party grading or a specialist opinion before buying or selling.