Breslau 1796 ducat Fr-531
This specimen was lot 30063 in Heritage sale 3029 (New York, January 2014), where it sold for $10,575. The catalog description[1] noted, "Amazingly Preserved Rarity Breslau. Joseph of Hohenlohe gold Ducat 1796, MS65 Prooflike NGC. Obv. Bust of the Bishop right. Rev. Crowned arms. A truly stunning example. Fully mirrored fields with heavily frosted devices. The strike is superb and the surfaces exhibit no flaws worthy of mention. Without question, the equal of the cameo Proof coins being struck by current minting facilities. Amazing quality for an eighteenth century minting facility. Very rare in this superb condition. Ex: "Colonel" E.H.R. Green; Green Estate' Partnership of Eric P Newman/B.G. Johnson." Joseph Christian Franz zu Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Bartenstein (r. 1795-1817) was the coadjutor of bishopric of Breslau, which lay in the Prussian portion of Silesia, which Frederick the Great had seized from Maria Theresia in 1742. Joseph's predecessor, Philipp Gotthard von Schaffgotsch, fled Breslau during the Seven Years War (1757-63) and refused to return, prompting Frederick to appoint an auxiliary bishop. This is the last gold coin issued by the bishops, who lost their mint right during the Napoleonic Wars.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.5 g, 0.986 fine gold.
Catalog reference: KM 232, Fr-531.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- 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.
- [1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano, Stuart Levine and Bruce Lorich, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3029, featuring Selections from the Eric P. Newman Collection, Part III, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2013.
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