Germany, Kingdom of Prussia, Frederic Wilhelm III, 4 Groschen Berlin 1803 A

Perfectly preserved piece, nice clock gloss.


Obverse: bust facing left

FRIDERICUS WILHELM III BORUSS REX

Reverse: acrowned shield with an eagle

84 EX MARCA PURA COLON

A native of the Hohenzollern dynasty, King of Prussia from 1797, he is not regarded by historians as a too brilliant ruler. The monarch, by nature, rather distrustful, preferred to rely more on himself than on his ministers, which unfortunately often had negative consequences for the country. In 1806 he declared war on Napoleon, which turned out to be a huge mistake because he lost it very quickly. Under the signing of the Treaty of Tylża, he was forced to give up the lands west of the Elbe and had to consent to the establishment of the Duchy of Warsaw from the lands that fell into the hands of Prussia in the 2nd and 3rd partition, and also partially in the 1st partition of Poland.