Bavaria 1740 goldgulden Fr-239
This specimen was lot 1763 in Künker sale 352 (Osnabrück, Germany, September 2021), where it sold for €4,000 (about US$5,567 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"BAYERN, HERZOGTUM, SEIT 1623 KURFÜRSTENTUM, Karl Albert, 1726-1745. Goldgulden 1740, München, auf das Vikariat. GOLD. Selten, besonders in dieser Erhaltung. Prachtexemplar. Fast Stempelglanz. (Germany, electorate of Bavaria, Charles Albert, 1726-45, goldgulden of 1740, Munich mint, on the Vicariat. Rare, especially in this quality, Choice example, about uncirculated.)"
The vicar of the empire was an office temporarily held by the elector after the death of the emperor. Altho ceremonial in nature, the princes who held the position often issued coins to mark the occasion. The elector issued a goldgulden (shown here) and a double goldgulden (KM 458). He was elected emperor himself, the first non-Hapsburg in centuries, setting off the War of the Austrian Succession.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.25 g, 0.925 fine gold, this specimen 3,24 g.
Catalog reference: KM 456, Fr-239; Hahn 267.
- 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.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- [1]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Künker Auktion 352: Die Sammlung Hermann Schwarz: Faszination des gepragten Goldes. Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2021.
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