Danzig 1551 ducat Fr-2
This specimen was lot 42514 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Oklahoma City, OK, August 2025), where it sold for $52,800. The catalog description[1] noted,
"A Perhaps Unrivaled Mint State Ducat of Sigismund II Augustus. POLAND. Danzig. Ducat, 1551. Danzig Mint. Sigismund II Augustus. PCGS MS-61. Obverse: Crowned bust of Sigismund II Augustus right; Reverse: Arms of Danzig. An EXTREME RARITY, as are all Danzig (Gdańsk) Ducats from the reign of Sigismund II Augustus, the first ruler of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The sheer difficulty of this type cannot be understated, with only a couple of examples of this date appearing in our searches of auction records over the past 25 years; additionally, the die pairing used to strike the present coin is unlisted in references and this is perhaps the singular piece available as such. If these factors were not enough, the present example, as a problem-free Mint State survivor, is a step above what can be expected for the type as a whole, boasting a strong portrait, gentle glossy luster through the fields, and no signs of wear. All in all, an exceptional piece and an outstanding opportunity for collectors of Polish or Danzig RARITIES."
This type was struck 1549-58 and 1565.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.5 g, 0.986 fine gold, this specimen 3.53 g.
Catalog reference: Fr-2; Kop-7374 (R6); Parch-2960; H-Cz-472 (R4); cf. Gum-734; cf. Kur-970; Dut-Unlisted.
- 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]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, August 2025 Global Showcase Auction, World & Ancient Coins, featuring The Richard August Collection and the Richard Margolis Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.
Link to: