AUSTRIA. Siege of Vienna Silver Medallic Taler, 1683. Vienna Mint. PCGS Genuine--Cleaned, Unc Details.

Hirsch-21; Voglh-239; Mont-919. Obverse: Hapsburg eagle clutching the earth between the sun and the moon; Reverse: Inscription. This medal was struck to celebrate the relief of Vienna from the two month long Turkish siege in September 1683. The repulsion of the Turks marked a turning point in European history, as the Holy League (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth) fought alongside the Holy Roman Empire to drive the Turks almost completely out of Hungary. This example features a beautiful rainbow tone that is very intense near the upper third that mellows into a more silvery appearance elsewhere on the surfaces. A noted cleaning with hairlines visible under magnification, even so, the history and beauty of this medal shines brightly.