GERMANY. Hamburg. End of Plague Silver Taler-Sized Medal, 1714. NGC AU-53.

Gaed-1734. 44mm. Obverse: City and waterway scene with angel above carrying the shield of Hamburg; Reverse: Serene countryside with radiant sun and rainbow above. Struck to celebrate the ending of the plague epidemic in Hamburg. Struck in just over Taler weight with delicate highpoint friction, a few scattered marks in the fields and deep tone over both sides. A historic and fascinating piece. RARE. Coinciding with the Great Northern War (1700-1721), a plague ravaged much of the Circum-Baltic and East-Central Europe regions for over a decade. First recognized in a Swedish military hospital in 1702, the outbreak followed trade and military routes, landing in Prussia in 1709. By 1711, areas all around the Baltic Sea were recording incidences. Finally, in 1712, it reached Hamburg. While Hamburg, with its estimated death toll around 10-15% of the population, was far less than most major cities on a percentage basis (Riga, for example, was among the hardest hit, with an estimated loss of 60-70% of the total inhabitants), the absolute casualties, which likely neared 10,000, was among the most extreme.