3 Kreuzer – Bishopric of Salzburg

In 1803, the currency situation in the Bishopric of Salzburg was one of transition and uncertainty, directly tied to its dramatic political upheaval. For centuries, Salzburg had been an independent ecclesiastical principality within the Holy Roman Empire, minting its own coins (such as the Salzburg Gulden and Kreuzer) and managing its monetary affairs. However, the geopolitical forces of the Napoleonic Wars, specifically the German Mediatisation of 1803, secularized the bishopric. It was transformed into the short-lived Electorate of Salzburg under the former Grand Duke Ferdinand III of Tuscany, ending over a thousand years of rule by prince-archbishops and throwing its established currency system into question.

The new political reality immediately created a complex monetary landscape. While the existing Salzburg coinage remained in circulation, the territory was now part of a broader Habsburg sphere of influence. This introduced Austrian currency (Gulden and Kreuzer) into the economy, leading to a period of concurrent circulation. The stability and value of the local coinage became dependent on the policies of the new secular ruler and, more importantly, on the overarching authority of Vienna, as Salzburg's fate was increasingly dictated by the larger conflict between Austria and France.

This ambiguous situation was resolved swiftly and decisively by further political change. In 1805, following the Austrian defeat at Austerlitz and the Peace of Pressburg, Salzburg was annexed by the Austrian Empire. By 1806, the formal integration led to the complete cessation of local minting and the full replacement of the Salzburg currency with the standardized Austrian monetary system. Thus, the distinctive currency of the Bishopric of Salzburg, a symbol of its historic independence, was extinguished within three years of the secularization decree, absorbed into the imperial finances of the Habsburg Monarchy.