Denmark 1802-B ducat Fr-283
This specimen was lot 42145 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Oklahoma City, OK, August 2025), where it sold for $2,280. The catalog description[1] noted, "DENMARK. Ducat, 1802. Altona Mint. Christian VII. NGC AU-58. A RARE and very seldomly encountered type, this "wildman" Ducat offers tremendous dazzling brilliance and displays hardly any evidence of circulation." This was the only coin struck in Denmark in 1802, which was experimenting with paper currency at the time. It was also struck 1791-92 and 1794. The reverse was clearly inspired by Dutch ducats. Christian VII was insane for most of his reign and the government was in the hands of regents, including his stepmother and later his son. The court was the scene of violent power struggles over who would have access to the incapable king. In 1813, the ducat was dropped in favor of the frederiks d'or.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.49 g, 0.979 fine gold, 21.4 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: Fr-283; KM-650.
- 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.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Siegs Møntcatalog 2016: Danmark med Omrader, 48 ed., Frederikssund, Siegs Forlag ApS, 2015.
- [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.
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