The system then attempted to be instituted was based on a mark of fine silver = 10 florins 12-1/2 kreutzers but in denomination a double system was employed--
2. { Gold gulden } = 72 " { Gulden groschen}
1. The Reichs gulden (= 1 gold gulden = 72 kreutzers) was prescribed thus--7-1/2 to the mark, 14 loth 2 grs. fine (see account of thaler, _supra_).
2. The kreutzer-piece was prescribed--237 to the mark, 6 loth 1 gr. fine (= 626-3/4 to the mark of fine silver).
3. The groschen (= 1/24 Reichs gulden)--94-1/2 to the mark, 7 loth 5 grs. fine (= 207-99/131 to the mark of fine silver).
Accompanying these regulations, however, there was a tariff as before, but more comprehensive, for the temporary recognition of a miscellaneous mass of coins of the Rhine, the Netherlands, Lower Saxony, Higher Saxony, Franconia, and the mark of Brandenburg. Thus--
Reichs groschen, at 12 pfennige, 24 = 1 gulden, at 72 kreutzers. Groschen of Misnia and Franconia, at 12 pfennige, 25-1/5 = " " Rhenish _albi_ and Netherland stuyvers, at 8 pfennige, 28 = " " Lübeck schellingen, at 12 pfennige, 28-4/5 = " " Groschen of the Mark, at 8 pfennige, 38-2/5 = " "
Of the Tyrol, 300 = 1 gulden, at 60 kreutzers. Of Lübeck, 288 = " " Of the mark of Brandenburg, 256 = " " Of Saxony and Franconia, 252 = " " Of Austria, 4 loth fine, 649 to the mark, 240 = " " Of Bavaria, 210 = " " Of the Rhine, 186-2/3 = " " Of Swabia, 180 = " " Of Würtemberg, 168 = " " Rappen, 250 = " " Of Strasburg, 120 = " "
This ordinance obtained no more vogue than its predecessor, the main cause of its slighting being the dissatisfaction of the powers of Upper and Lower Saxony at the tariffing of the thaler, which they declared to be too low, and accordingly advanced (1555) to 24 groschen (= 32 Marien groschen = 72 kreutzers).
The third Imperial Ordinance was issued at Augsburg on the 19th August 1559. Practically the same standard and basis was maintained as in the preceding ordinance, the mark of fine silver being coined into 10 florins 13-1/2 kreutzers in the larger species.
But in the detail of these larger species an important difference was established.
The silver gulden had hitherto been equal to the gold gulden. The actual specie silver gulden in pieces of the time was nominally equivalent to 60 kreutzers. But since 1551 there had been minted a Reichs gulden in specie equal to 72 kreutzers.