Brandenburg-Ansbach-Bayreuth 1794-S gulden
The first specimen was lot 371 in Künker sale 293 (Osnabrück, Germany, July 2017), where it sold for €320 (about US$431 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"PREUSSEN, KÖNIGREICH Friedrich Wilhelm II. 1786-1797. 2/3 Taler 1794, S, Schwabach, für Ansbach-Bayreuth. Slg. Grüber (Auktion Künker 267) 4880. Winz. Schrötlingsfehler, vorzüglich. (Germany, kingdom of Prussia, Frederick William II, 1786-97, two-thirds thaler of 1794, Schwabach mint, struck for Brandenburg-Ansbach-Bayreuth. Minor edge defects, extremely fine.)"
The second specimen was lot 3930 in Künker sale 353 (Osnabrück, Germany, September 2021), where it sold for €340 (about US$473 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"BRANDENBURG-PREUSSEN, PREUSSEN, KÖNIGREICH, Friedrich Wilhelm II. 1786-1797. 2/3 Taler 1794, S, Schwabach. Prägung für Ansbach-Bayreuth. Prachtexemplar. Kl. Schrötlingsfehler, vorzüglich-Stempelglanz. (Frederick William II, 1786-97, two-thirds thaler of 1794, Scwabach mint, struck for Ansbach-Bayreuth. Choice example, some planchet flaws, extremely fine to uncirculated.)"
Altho Künker catalogued this under Prussia, we have followed the SCWC in filing it with the Brandenburg issues of Franconia, the last margrave there having sold his province to his cousin, the king of Prussia, in 1791. The margrave then retired to a peaceful manor in Britain while Wilhelm attempted to cope with French invasion and occupation. Ansbach and Bayreuth were turned over to Bavaria in 1806 as part of Napoleon's reorganization of Germany. This type was also issued in 1792.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 14.85 g, 0.750 fine silver, the second specimen 14,66 g.
Catalog reference: J. 208 b; Olding 36 b, KM 7.
- [1]Künker Münzauktionen und Goldhandel, Katalog 293: Münzen aus Mittelalter und Neuzeit u. a. die westfälischen Privatsammlungen Werner Bröker und Bernd Terletzki, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- [2]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Künker Auktion 353: Die Sammlung Axel Tesmer, Teil 2: Prägungen der Könige von Preussen von der Kroning 1701 bis zum Ende der Monarchie. Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2021.
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