Denmark 1822-FF speciedaler
This specimen was lot 1158 in Stack's Bowers sale of the L. E. Bruun Collection (Copenhagen, September 2024), where it sold for €31,200 (about US$34,576 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"A Stunning Choice Speciedaler Pattern with Edge Lettering, A Type Unique in Private Hands, DENMARK. Silver Speciedaler Pattern, 1822. Altona Mint. Frederik VI. NGC MS-63. Mintmaster: Johan Friedrich Freund (FF). Engraver: Georg Valentin Bauert. A stunning Pattern issue which is UNIQUE in private hands and in the uppermost echelon of desirability, this Speciedaler boasts boldly struck details and a flan of exceptional quality. The surfaces show only the slightest forms of handing, with a steely brilliance shining throughout. Swatches of warm watercolor toning serve to soften the surfaces, and enliven the appeal. Technically pleasing, and historically interesting, this Pattern is certainly long with its list of attributes.
This Pattern reads KONGENS HELBRED FOLKETS GLÆDE ("The health of the king is the joy of the people") with reeding spacing the words on the edge, as distinguished from the standard circulation issues with regular edge reeding. Such issues with edge lettering, of which 4 variations are known, are of the highest rarity, with only a few specimens divided between the National Museum of Denmark, the Hermitage Museum and the Bruun collection. Ex: Johan G. Guildal Collection (Private Sale - 1918); later published by the Danish Numismatic Society as item 3058 in his collection."
The regular speciedaler of 1820-29, 1833-39 (Dav-73) is fairly common.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 28.89 g, 0.875 fine silver, 39 mm diameter, lettered edge, this specimen 28.87 g.
Catalog reference: KM-Unlisted; Dav-Unlisted; Hede-26A, note p. 194; Sieg-Unlisted; Schou-3, Bruun-8056.
- 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, Jeremy Bostwick and Henrik Holt Christensen, The L. E. Bruun Collection - A Corpus of Scandinavian Monetary History Part I, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.
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