Aachen 1374 groschen
This specimen was lot 1010 in CNG Triton XXIX (New York, January 2026), where it sold for $8,575. The catalog description[1] noted, "GERMANY, Aachen (City). AR Groschen. Jungheit mint. Dated 1374 (in Roman numerals). Crowned half-length facing bust of Charlemagne, holding lis-tipped scepter and globus cruciger; coat-of-arms below / Long cross pattée. Toned, some roughness and deposits, scratches, slightly ragged edge. VF. Very rare. From the Robert Levinson Collection. Levinson notes: “This coin is generally referred to as the first collectible early dated coin, all others prior to it being permanently encased in museum collections or no longer extant.”" This obscure little coin would be completely ignored by collectors except that it is one of the first coins to bear AD dates. It is known dated 1372-75, 1402-05, 1410-13, 1418-22 and 1429 with a wide range of weights. Aachen was the capital of Charlemagne's empire and remained a free city until 1794, when it was occupied by the army of revolutionary France.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 1.65-2.65 g, silver, 25 mm diameter, this specimen 26 mm diameter, 2.13 g, 8 h axis.
Catalog reference: Levinson I-3a; Frey 2; Menadier 94.
- Levinson, Robert, The Early Dated Coins of Europe, 1234-1500: An Illustrated Catalogue and Guide to dated medieval coinage. Clifton, NJ: Coin & Currency Institute, 2007.
- [1]Gasvoda, Michael, Victor England, Eric McFadden, Dave Michaels, Bill Dalzell and Lance Hickman, Triton XXIX, Lancaster, PA: Classical Numismatic Group, LLC, 2025.
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