1627 Transylvania Gabriel Bethlen 2 Taler NGC AU55 Finest Known Silver Klippe

1627 TRANSYLVANIA 2 TALER KLIPPE

Gabriel Bethlen • NGC AU55 • Finest Known • 57.08 Grams Silver

Some coins are collected for rarity. Others for history. This extraordinary 1627 Transylvanian 2 Taler Klippe delivers both—and has the physical presence of a museum artifact.

Struck nearly 400 years ago under Gabriel Bethlen, Prince of Transylvania, this massive square-format silver coin weighs an astonishing 57.08 grams—almost two full ounces of silver and approximately twice the weight of an ordinary taler. Numista records the type at a remarkable 95/100 Rarity Index, placing it among the most elusive issues represented in member collections.

Dracula Made Transylvania Famous. Gabriel Bethlen Made It Powerful.

Long before Bram Stoker transformed Transylvania into the land of Dracula, this mountainous region was one of Europe’s most fascinating—and dangerous—political frontiers.

Vlad III Țepeș, the historical inspiration for Dracula, belonged to the earlier Wallachian world of the 15th century. There is no proven direct ancestral connection between Vlad and Gabriel Bethlen, but they emerged from the same extraordinary geopolitical theater: a region caught between Hungarian influence, the Habsburgs and the expanding Ottoman Empire.

By the time this coin was struck in 1627, Gabriel Bethlen had transformed Transylvania into a formidable European principality. A warrior, diplomat and Protestant prince, Bethlen repeatedly challenged the mighty Habsburgs during the Thirty Years’ War.

His magnificent armored portrait dominates the obverse of this enormous piece, while the reverse carries the crowned heraldic arms of Transylvania. The M-C mintmark identifies Košice/Kassa, one of the important mints under Bethlen’s authority.

A Survivor That Was Never Supposed to Last

The unusual Klippe format gives this coin much of its character. Rather than trimming the silver into a conventional round coin, the dies were impressed onto a great square silver planchet, leaving the four dramatic corners surrounding the circular design.

Survival was another matter.

These massive double-weight silver pieces were frequently melted for their considerable silver content or pierced and converted into jewelry, making intact survivors inherently elusive today. Other surviving 1627 examples are documented with removed mounts and other evidence of jewelry use.

That makes the preservation of this example especially compelling.

At 57.08 grams, it is actually slightly heavier than the 56.91-gram standard weight recorded for the type. The enormous square planchet remains remarkably complete, while Bethlen’s elaborate armor, bearded portrait, scepter and the intricate Transylvanian heraldry retain tremendous detail.

And above everything else:

NGC AU55 — FINEST KNOWN.

For a nearly four-century-old Transylvanian multiple taler—an issue already regarded as extremely rare—having the Finest Known certified survivor creates an entirely different level of collectibility.

This isn’t simply another European silver coin.

It is nearly two ounces of silver from the age of the Thirty Years’ War, carrying the portrait of the prince who elevated Transylvania into a serious European power.

Dracula made Transylvania famous.
Gabriel Bethlen made Transylvania powerful.

And almost 400 years later, this massive Finest Known silver Klippe survives to tell that story.