Austria 1659 5 ducats Fr-262
The first specimen was lot 30115 in Heritage auction 3096 (Dallas, TX, March 2021), where it sold for $38,400. The catalog description[1] noted,
"Austria. Leopold I gold 5 Ducat 1659 UNC Details (Obverse Graffiti) NGC, Vienna mint. Franz Faber von Rosenstock as mintmaster. Laureate bust of Leopold I right / Crowned imperial eagle. Issued in the Emperor's second year of reign, this large-sized multiple Ducat is rare in any condition, and especially so as fine as the present piece. Fully uncirculated, with bright luster apparent throughout the recesses of the design and touches of orange-gold patina accenting the flan. The designation of "Obverse Graffiti" undoubtedly refers to the engraved "5" that appears in the central field to the right of the portrait, a designation of value that is almost certainly contemporary and may be considered relatively insignificant. From the Paramount Collection."
The second specimen was lot 1713 in Sincona sale 73 (Zürich, November 2021), where it sold for 44,000 CHF (about US$56,611 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[2] noted,
"HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE - AUSTRIA. Leopold I. 1657-1705. 5 Dukaten 1659, Wien. Mit der Münzmeistersignatur des Franz Faber von Rosenstock, Münzmeister in Wien 1659 und 1666-1679. Sehr selten. NGC MS63+. (Holy Roman Empire, Leopold I, 1657-1705, five ducats of 1659, Vienna mint, with the privy mark of mintmaster Franz Faber von Rosenstock. Graded NGC MS63+, Very rare.)"
The crude diework is suggestive of a counterfeit but we will presume that the illustrious auctioneers know what they are doing. This thaler sold by Kunker in 2020 has the same look.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 17.50 g, 0.986 fine gold, the second specimen 17.34 g.
Catalog reference: KM 1163, Fr-262, Horsky-Unl., Herinek-84, CNA-8-a-2.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
- [1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano and Warren Tucker, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3096, featuring the Paramount Collection of World & Ancient Coins, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2021.
- [2]Richter, Jürg, Sincona sale 73: World Coins and Medals, Bullion Auction and World Banknotes, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2021.
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