What kind of coin is this and what is it worth?

Question

I have a coin that seems to be dated 1780 but I have no idea where it's from. Around the edge of the coin are the words IUSTITIA ET CLEMENTIA. On the face of the coin there is a picture of a woman and written is R.IMP.HU.BO.REG.M.THERESIA.D.G. On the back is some kind of crest and written is BURG.CO.TYR1780.X ARCHID.AVST.DUX. I would really appreciate any information on this coin and it's estimated value. Thanks

Answer 1

This is a silver coin of Austria called a thaler (from which we get the word "dollar". The bust is that of Maria Theresa, Empress of Austria. Despite the date, it was minted for more than a century, so it is not limited to one year's minting production. Here is some information:

Description
The obverse has a portrait of the mature Empress. She wears a widow`s veil (which was reduced in order to meet Arabian demands) and a brooch with nine pearls. The inscription "M. THERESIA D.G.R. IMP. HU. BO .REG." translates as: Maria Theresa, by the grace of God Roman Empress, of Hungary and Bohemia Queen. Below the bust one finds the initials "S.F.", which stand for the names of the two Günzburg mint officials in 1780, Tobias Schöbl (S) and Joseph Faby (F). The reverse shows the imperial double-headed eagle with the arms of Austria at the centre, surrounded by four quarters representing Hungary, Bohemia, Burgundy and Burgau (Günzburg). The inscription reads "ARCHID. AUST. DUX. BURG. CO. TYR. 1780" and translates: Archduchess of Austria, Duchess of Burgundy, Countess of Tyrol, 1780. The raised edge of the coin has the motto of the Empress "Iustitia et Clementia" (Justice and Clemency) with various ornaments. The story of the Maria Theresa Taler is undoubtedly unique in the history of money and numismatics. It is not only one of the most beautiful silver coins in the world, it is also the most famous and most widely spread. The Maria Theresa Taler

Answer 2

JOHN B knows his stuff on this coin. I have one thing I disagree with. It is really not the most famous coin in my opinion. True it may more beautiful than the Spanish American 8 Reales or what is commonly called the Spanish milled dollar. To me the the "piece of eight" or pillar dollar is also a nice looking coin and is actually more famous. More has been written about it and it has that pirate mystique. Both coins are a must for a true numismatist. The Maria Teresa Thaler is a lot cheaper than a pillar or bust Spanish 8 reales coin. The Thaler did play a big roll in the Middle East during WW I and even WW II. It is nice to see others who know their coins and are willing to share their knowledge.

Answer 3

If it says New Ten Pence I think it isn't worth anything. In the 1970s the UK coinage was decimalised when the new 10p coin was first introduced but in the 1990s it was replaced with a smaller 10p coin. Check the date on it it is later than about 1992 (the portrait of the Queen should should look very young and show her from the shoulder up rater than the neck if its old) you cant spend it in the UK if it is old but could get a few $ for it on EBay. If its modern its 2$ to £1 so that's 20cents.