Bavaria 1857 krone Fr-280
This specimen was lot 40223 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2019), where it sold for $11,400. The catalog description[1] noted,
"One of Only 771 Struck. GERMANY. Bavaria. Krone, 1857. NGC MS-62. Obverse: Bare head right; Reverse: Uniform design, "VEREINSMÜNZE * 50 EIN PFUND FEIN" around an oak wreath enclosing "1/ KRONE/ 1857". One of only 771 struck of this date. A short-lived and thus highly collectible denomination, produced just prior to the final monetary union that preceded German unification and adoption of the Gold Standard. This example, preserved in lovely Mint State quality, displays strong prooflike qualities in the fields and soft frost on the central designs that create a delicate cameo-like appearance. Light handling on both sides determines the grade, but no instance is egregious. One of the only examples seen at auction in the last two decades, with the last appearance, seemingly slightly more handled than this one, appearing in a 2015 Gerhard Hirsh auction where it brought 11,000 EUR hammer (approximately $12,500 USD hammer at the time."
In 1856, the ducat was dropped in favor of this gold krone issued 1857-64. The krone was also minted by Austria (KM 2253), Saxony (KM 1197), Hannover (KM 232), Prussia (Fr-2437) and Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (Fr-750) but does not seem to have been a success, as survivors are few. The krone was dropped in favor of the gold twenty mark after unification in 1871.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 11.11 g, 0.900 fine gold.
Catalog reference: Fr-280; KM 854 (formerly KM-470).
- 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, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Ponterio, Richard, Kyle Ponterio, Matt Orsini and Cris Chatigny, The January 2019 NYINC Sale: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2018.
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