Brunswick-Luneburg-Celle 1654 4 thaler Dav-LS155a
This specimen was lot 23 in Künker sale 400 (Berlin, February 2024), where it sold for €6,000 (about US$7,784 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"BRAUNSCHWEIG UND LÜNEBURG, BRAUNSCHWEIG-LÜNEBURG, Christian Ludwig, 1648-1665. Löser zu 4 Reichstalern 1654, Clausthal. Mit Wertpunze; Münzmeister Lippold Wefer. Gekröntes Monogramm CL in Lorbeerkranz, umgeben von 14 kleinen, gekrönten Wappen auf Rankenornamenten, unten Kartusche mit eingepunzter Wertzahl//Roß springt l. über der Stadtansicht von Celle, darüber hält eine aus Wolken kommende Hand einen Lorbeerkranz. RR Attraktives, fast vorzügliches Exemplar mit feiner Patina. Erworben am 14.03.1979 bei der Münzenhandlung Hans Joachim Schramm GmbH, München. Exemplar der Preussag Collection, Auktion London Coin Galleries/Künker 1, London 2015, Nr. 144. Seit diesem Jahr erscheinen auf dem Roß die bekrönten Buchstaben CL als Brandzeichen auf der Hinterhand. (Germany, duchy of Brunswick-Luneburg-Celle, Christian Louis, 1648-65, quadruple thaler of 1654, Clausthal mint, with value punched in. Obverse: crowned monogram, laurel wreath around, surrounded by 14 crowned shields, below, a cartouche with the value punched in; reverse: a stallion springs left over a city view of Celle, above, a hand from a cloud offers a laurel wreath. Very rare, attractive, about extremely fine example with fine patina. Starting this year, a crowned "CL" was added to the stallion's flank.)"
Christian Ludwig was duke in Calenberg 1641-48 and in Celle 1648-65. His younger brother Georg Wilhelm was duke in Calenberg 1648-65 and in Celle 1665-1705. The last brother, Ernst August, was duke in Calenberg 1679-98 and elector of Hannover 1692-98. Ernst August's son George inherited Calenberg and Hannover in 1698, Celle in 1705 and the throne of Great Britain in 1714. This city view thaler was accompanied by a triple thaler (Dav-LS156). The SCWC states that this issue should have mintmaster's initials "LW" but this example lacks them.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver, this specimen 115,82 g.
Catalog reference: KM 231 (with initials LW); Dav-LS155a; Duve 3 I; Welter 1484; Preussag Collection (Auktion London Coin Galleries/Künker 1) 144 (this coin).
- Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- Davenport, John S., Large Size Silver Coins of the World, 16th-19th Centuries, 3rd Ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 1991.
- [1]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Katalog 400: Selected löser of the Dukes of Guelph from the Friedrich Popken Collection | Numismatic treasures from the Medieval and Modern Times, a. o. "multiple portraits" from a Westphalian private collection, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2024.
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