12 Ducats – Bishopric of Salzburg

In 1668, the currency situation within the Prince-Archbishopric of Salzburg was characterized by instability and the complex interplay of regional monetary systems. As an independent ecclesiastical state within the Holy Roman Empire, Salzburg minted its own coinage, most notably the silver Gulden and smaller Kreuzer. However, its monetary landscape was deeply influenced by the wider German monetary sphere, particularly the influx of large, high-quality silver coins like the Reichsthaler from the Imperial minting ordinances. The primary challenge was maintaining a stable relationship between these larger "specie" coins used for foreign trade and the smaller, often debased, fractional coins used in everyday local commerce.

This period fell under the reign of Prince-Archbishop Maximilian Gandolf von Kuenburg (1668–1687), whose administration inherited ongoing monetary pressures. The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) had left a legacy of currency debasement and inflation across Central Europe, as rulers manipulated coinage to finance debts. While Salzburg had suffered less direct devastation than northern German states, it still faced the economic aftermath. The bishopric's authorities had to constantly guard against the circulation of underweight or counterfeit coins from neighboring territories, which could drive good money out of circulation (Gresham's Law) and disrupt local markets.

Consequently, the monetary policy in 1668 would have focused on regulation and control. Officials enforced published exchange rates (Münztarife) between different coin types at markets and toll stations, attempting to fix the value of the Salzburg Gulden against the Reichsthaler. The aim was to ensure sufficient small change for daily transactions while preserving the integrity of the currency for external trade, a balancing act that required constant vigilance against economic forces beyond the small alpine state's full control.