Austria 1838-A 4 ducats Fr-480
This specimen was lot 1932 in Sincona sale 59 (Zürich, October 2019), where it sold for 3,400 CHF (about US$4,118 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE - AUSTRIA, Ferdinand I. 1835-1848. 4 Dukaten 1838 A, Wien. Selten. Vorzüglich. Leicht berieben. Leichte Fassungsspuren. (empire of Austria, Ferdinand I, 1835-48, four ducats of 1838, Vienna mint. Rare, Extremely fine, Slightly polished, Minor traces of mounting.)"
This type was struck 1835-48. Ferdinand, though often dismissed as mentally deficient, was actually a severe epileptic, whose frequent seizures interfered with his ability and confidence to rule. He abdicated during the revolution of 1848 but survived until 1870.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 13.96 g, 0.986 fine gold, this specimen 13.95 g.
Catalog reference: KM 2270, Herinek 3. Fr-480.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
- 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.
- Herinek, Gerhard, Austria Münzkatalog: Munzen ab 1745 und Banknoten ab 1759, 49. Auflage, Vienna: Christine Steyrer Verlag, 2022.
- [1]Richter, Jürg, Sincona Auction 59: Gold and Silver Coins and Medals; Coins and Medals from Switzerland, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2019.
- Veselý, Roman, Mince a medaile, 19. století, František II ab Karel I, Prague: Aurea Numismatika, 2020.
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