Some Old Prussian Silver

Today I will be sharing an 1872-C 1 Silbergroschen. Picked this up after seeing a cool Prussian coin shared by @thebighigg. I figured I didn't have a Prussian coin in my collection yet, so needed to add one. After searching online, I found this one for a very decent price and picked it up for about $5USD.

It is only about 22% silver, but oh well, it still has some silver content. THe diameter is also small at 18.5mm, so about the size of a U.S. dime. It has a smooth edge and minted from 1861-1873. This particular coin was minted in Frankfurt, Germany "C".

Prussia at one time was a very powerful German state playing a major role in European history from the 17th thrrough 19th century. It began as a small state in northeastern Europe and expanded through it's military strength.

Under Frederick the Great, Prussia became known for its strong army and disciplined society. In the 19th century, it unified Germany under Otto von Bismarck, forming the German Empire in 1871. Prussia’s influence declined after World War I, and it was officially abolished by the Allies after World War II in 1947.

The obverse of the coin shows a bust of Wilhelm I. THe legend surrounding his bust translates to "Wilhelm King of Prussia".

Wilhelm I (1797–1888) was the first German Emperor and King of Prussia. He ruled from 1861 as king. He was emperor from 1871 after the unification of Germany. He was considered a conservative monarch and vlaued Prussia's military tradition and monarchy.

Although not as politically active as Bismarck, Wilhelm supported his policies and helped shape Germany into a major European power. He ruled until his death in 1888.

The reverse of the coin displays the face value, year and mint letter in five lines surrounded by the legend. The back translates as follows:

30 [for] One Thaler
1
Silver
Groschen
1872
C
Division Coin

"Silbergroschen" translates to "silver groschen" in English. It refers to a type of coin used in Prussia and other German states during the 19th century, worth one thirtieth of a Thaler. The groschen was a silver coin, initially introduced in the Holy Roman Empire in 1271.

If you have any further information about this coin you would like to add, like historical information I left out or want to correct any I may have gotten wrong, please drop it in the comments.

Thanks for reading,
Joe

_{Notes:
-All content is mine unless otherwise annotated.
-Images are my own unless otherwise noted.
-Photos edited using MS Paint and/or iPhone SE.
-Page Dividers from The Terminal Discord.}