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Germany – Free imperial city of Nuremberg (German States)
200th Anniversary of Utrecht University Founded Commemorative issue
1836 (No Date) Brass Counter Token 22mm (0.96 grams)
L. Chr. Lauer Mint (Münzprägeanstalt L. Chr. Lauer), Nuremberg, Germany (1790-1924)
Reference: N#139137 var. (bust right)
MINERVA CUSTOS URBIS (Translation: Minerva the guard of the city), Minervakop bust left.
TRAI ECTUM PER DUO SAECULA MUSIS SACRUM within wreath.(Translation: Utrecht devoted to the Muses for two centuries. (ps. Muses are the Godesses of the inspiration of literature, science and the arts.))
The token titled “Minerva Custos Urbis” was minted in Nuremberg in 1836 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the founding of the University of Utrecht in 1636.
It is a brass counter token with a diameter of 22 mm. The obverse features a helmeted female bust of Minerva to the right, with the Latin inscription “MINERVA CUSTOS URBIS,” meaning “Minerva the guard of the city”. The reverse displays the inscription “TRAI ECTUM PER DUO SAECULA MUSIS SACRUM” in a wreath of olive branches, translating to “Utrecht devoted to the Muses for two centuries,” referencing the Muses as goddesses of inspiration in literature, science, and the arts. The token was produced by the L. Chr. Lauer Mint in Nuremberg, Germany, which operated from 1790 to 1924.
It is classified as a commemorative issue and is considered a utility item, specifically a counter token. The Numista rarity index for this token is 86, indicating it is relatively rare among members’ collections.
You are bidding on the exact item pictured, provided with a Certificate of Authenticity and Lifetime Guarantee of Authenticity.
Utrecht University was founded on 26 March 1636, making it one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. The institution originated from the Illustrious School of Utrecht, established in 1634, which was elevated to university status in 1636. The founding was driven by the city council, and the inaugural ceremony took place on the same date, which remains the university’s official foundation day. The first rector magnificus was Bernardus Schotanus, a professor of law and mathematics, while Gisbertus Voetius delivered the inaugural speech as professor of theology. Anna Maria van Schurman became the university’s first female student in 1636, studying theology under Voetius in a specially arranged private setting. Initially, the university had only a few dozen students and seven professors across four faculties: philosophy, theology, medicine, and law.The university quickly gained prominence during the Dutch Golden Age, attracting international students and scholars, including René Descartes, who lived in Utrecht for a period.
In 1642, the university established an observatory, making it the second oldest university in the world with such a facility after Leiden.
 Germany, officially the Federal Republic of  Germany is a federal parliamentary republic in western-central Europe. It includes 16 constituent states and covers an area of 357,021 square kilometres (137,847 sq mi) with a largely temperate seasonal climate. Its capital and largest city is Berlin. With 81 million inhabitants, Germany is the most populous member state in the European Union. After the United States, it is the second most popular migration destination in the world.
Various Germanic tribes have occupied northern Germany since classical antiquity. A region named Germania was documented before 100 CE. During the Migration Period the Germanic tribes expanded southward. Beginning in the 10th century, German territories formed a central part of the Holy Roman Empire. During the 16th century, northern German regions became the centre of the Protestant Reformation.
The rise of Pan-Germanism inside the German Confederation resulted in the unification of most of the German states in 1871 into the Prussian-dominated German Empire. After World War I and the German Revolution of 1918-1919, the Empire was replaced by the parliamentary Weimar Republic. The establishment of the Third Reich in 1933 led to World War II and the Holocaust. After 1945, Germany split into two states, East Germany and West Germany. In 1990, the country was reunified.
 In the 21st century, Germany is a great power and has the world’s fourth-largest economy by nominal GDP, as well as the fifth-largest by PPP. As a global leader in several industrial and technological sectors, it is both the world’s third-largest exporter and importer of goods. Germany is a developed country with a very high standard of living sustained by a skilled and productive society. It upholds a social security and universal health care system, environmental protection and a tuition free university education.
Germany was a founding member of the European Union in 1993. It is part of the Schengen Area, and became a co-founder of the Eurozone in 1999. Germany is a member of the United Nations, NATO, the G8, the G20, and the OECD. The national military expenditure is the 9th highest in the world. Known for its rich cultural history, Germany has been continuously the home of influential artists, philosophers, musicians, sportsmen, entrepreneurs, scientists and inventors.
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