Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel 1589 thaler Dav-9067
The first specimen was lot 2111 in Künker Auction 425 (Osnabrück, July 2025), where it sold for €850 (about US$1,204 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"DEUTSCHE MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN · BRAUNSCHWEIG-WOLFENBÜTTEL, FÜRSTENTUM Julius, 1568-1589. Reichstaler 1589, Goslar. Brillentaler. Hübsche Patina, sehr schön +. (Germany, duchy of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Julius 1568-89, "spectacles" thaler of 1589, Goslar mint. Handsome patina, very fine or better.)"
The second specimen was lot 3486 in Künker Auction 426 (Osnabrück, July 2025), where it sold for €1,200 (about US$1,699 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[2] noted,
"BRAUNSCHWEIG-WOLFENBÜTTEL, FÜRSTENTUM Julius, 1568-1589. Reichstaler 1589, Goslar. Brillentaler. Hübsche Patina, sehr schön-vorzüglich. (Germany, duchy of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Julius 1568-89, "spectacles" thaler of 1589, Goslar mint. Handsome patina, very fine to extremely fine.)"
This type was struck 1588-89 and is scarcer than KM MB248/Dav-9068 (death of Julius) and KM MB249/Dav-9069 (Henry Julius). The "spectacles" nickname comes from the decoration under the lamp in the wild man's right hand, which appear to be eyeglasses. Several thalers have this nickname.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver, the first specimen 28,88 g, the second specimen 29,12 g.
Catalog reference: KM MB220, Dav-9067; Welter 581.
- 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]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Katalog 425: Gold coins from the Medieval and Modern Times, from the Mohr family collection, e.g. | Silver coins, e.g. highlights of medallic art | German coins after 1871, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2025.
- [2]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, eLive Premium Auction 426: European and German Coins and Medals from the 16th to the 20th century, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2025.
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