The Saint-Jean silver vein above which stands the Tellure mining park was discovered in 1549 by a miner named Collin Schwartz. Silver ore was essential during the medieval period as it served for the minting of money. The more metal the coins contained, the more valuable they were. The thaler was the currency under the Holy Roman Empire, while the French kings used the denarius, inspired by the Romans. The thaler was also in use in the Americas and gave its name to the dollar.