1/12 Thaler    (sold for $14.0)

1858, Oldenburg (Grand Duchy). Silver 2½ Groschen (1/12 Thaler) Coin. 1-Yr Type!

Mint Year: 1858
Reference: KM-195.
Condition: About XF!
Denomination: 2½ Groschen (1/12 Thaler)
Material: Silver (.375)
Diameter: 21mm
Weight: 3gm

The House of Oldenburg is a European royal house of North German origin. It is one of Europe's most influential royal houses with branches that rule or have ruled in Denmark, Iceland, Greece, Norway, Russia, Sweden, Schleswig, Holstein, and Oldenburg. The current Queen of Denmark, the King of Norway and the former King of Greece, as well as the consorts of Greece and the United Kingdom and the first seventeen names in the line of succession to the British throne, all belong to this house. It rose to prominence when Count Christian I of Oldenburg was elected King of Denmark in 1448, of Norway in 1450 and of Sweden in 1457. The house has occupied the Danish throne ever since. Marriages of medieval counts of Oldenburg had paved the way for their heirs to become kings of various Scandinavian kingdoms. Through marriage with a descendant of King Valdemar I of Sweden and of King Eric IV of Denmark, a claim to Sweden and Denmark was staked, since 1350. At that time, its competitors were the successors of Margaret I of Denmark. In the 15th century, the Oldenburg heir of that claim married Hedwig of Schauenburg, a descendant of Euphemia of Sweden and Norway and also a descendant of Eric V of Denmark and Abel of Denmark. Since descendants better situated in genealogical charts died out, their son Christian (the abovementioned) became the king of all three kingdoms of the whole Kalmar Union. The House of Mecklenburg was its chief competitor regarding the Northern thrones, and other aspirants included the Duke of Lauenburg. Different Oldenburgine branches have reigned in several countries. The House of Oldenburg was briefly poised to claim the British thrones through the marriage of Queen Anne and Prince George of Denmark and Norway; however, due to the early deaths of all their children, the crown passed to the House of Hanover.

Peter Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Oldenburg, (3 January 1754, Eutin Castle, Eutin – 2 July 1823, Schloss Plön, Plön.) Wilhelm succeeded his father, Frederick Augustus I, Duke of Oldenburg as the Duke of Oldenburg in 1785. Wilhelm's mother was Princess Ulrike Friederike Wilhelmine of Hesse-Kassel.

Due to mental illness, Wilhelm was duke in name only, with his cousin Peter, Prince-Bishop of Lübeck, acting as regent throughout his entire reign.

The title became a Grand Duke in 1815, but Wilhelm never used the elevated style. It was not used until 1829 by the son of Wilhelm's cousin and successor, Peter I