Denmark 1869-HC 2 christians d'or
This specimen was lot 25028 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2023), where it sold for $6,000. The catalog description[1] noted, "Very Rare and Seldom Seen 2 Christians d'Or, DENMARK. 2 Christians d'Or, 1869-HC CS. Copenhagen Mint; mm: crown. Christian IX. PCGS Genuine--Cleaned, AU Details. Despite the noted cleaning on this wildman issue, it nevertheless remains a great RARITY that is no doubt desired by the more advanced collectors of Danish issues or world gold more broadly. Very lightly handled, and immensely impressive. From the Robert C. Knepper Collection." After the reform of 1854, the monetary system was 96 skillings = 1 rigsdaler, 2 rigsdaler = 1 (old) speciedaler. This coin, struck 1866-70 in small numbers, is the last in a series begun in 1828 during the reign of Frederick VI. Since 1513, the kings of Denmark have alternated between the names Frederick and Christian; when Fredericks VI and VII ruled, this coin was called a frederiks d'or; when Christians VIII and IX ruled, it was called a christians d'or. It was the same size and weight as a Prussian friedrichs d'or (KM 371, KM 398, KM 415, KM 442) and a Saxon gold five thalers (KM 1054, KM 1102, KM 1113, KM 1123, KM 1143). All the Danish issues are rare today. In 1874, the coinage was reformed again to the current system of 100 øre = 1 krone.
Recorded mintage: 42,000 for 1866-70.
Specification: 13.28 g, 0.896 fine gold, .382 troy oz ASW.
Catalog reference: Fr-293; KM-773.2.
- 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, The January 2023 NYINC Auction: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, featuring the Taraszka Collection and the Mark and Dottie Salton Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
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