Cologne (1349-62) florin Fr-781
This specimen was lot 30071 in Heritage sale 3029 (New York, January 2014), where it sold for $11,162.50. The catalog description[1] noted, "A Phenomenal Imitative Florin of Cologne Cologne-Archbishopric. Wilhelm von Gennep (1349-62) gold Florin ND, MS62 NGC. WILh • A | REPVS •, Florentine lily / • S • IOHA | ИИES B ? (Eagle), St. John standing, facing, cloaked in a mantle with right hand raised and a scepter in the left. A glittering jewel with a near fully-struck portrait of St. John. Despite evidence of light die rust and some small deposits on the obverse, this is a truly exceptional specimen of a very scarce type. Wilhelm was the second Archbishop of Cologne to order the imitation of Florentine florins after Walram von Jülich. The imitative issues continued under two succeeding archbishops, ending in 1368 with the introduction of the goldgulden. Ex: 'Colonel' E.H.R. Green; Green Estate' Partnership of Eric P Newman / B.G. Johnson." Both the city and the archbishop of Cologne (or Koln) issued gold ducats and it takes a keen eye to tell them apart.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.5 g, 0.986 fine gold, .110 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: Fr-781.
- Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
- 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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