Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel 1586 thaler Dav-9065
This specimen was lot 30138 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Chicago, August 2022), where it sold for $1,860. The catalog description[1] noted, "GERMANY. Brunswick-Luneburg: Wolfenbuttel. "Spectacles" Taler, 1586. Goslar Mint. Julius. PCGS AU-53. An interesting one-year type that is also VERY RARE, this pleasantly toned and lightly handled crown features the wildman not only wrapping one hand around the ubiquitous tree trunk, but also holding a candle, skull, hourglass, and spectacles, the last of which has given the type its name in German--the "Brillentaler," or "spectacles Taler." From the Robert C. Knepper Collection." This type was struck 1586 only and is rare. Several other thalers (Dav-9066 and -9067) have this nickname. The cross of Lorraine mintmark refers to Andreas, mintmaster 1570-99. Riechenberg was the only other mint coining for the duke at this time.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver.
Catalog reference: KM MB206, Dav-9065; Welter-579.
- Davenport, John S., German Talers, 1500-1600, Frankfurt am Main, Numismatischer Verlag P. N. Schulten, 1979.
- Nicol, N. Douglas, Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of German Coins, 1501-Present, 3rd ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2011.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The 2022 ANA Auction - Ancients & World Coins - Featuring The Salton Collection Part III, the Augustana Collection and the Robert C. Knepper Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
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