Friedberg 1766-SNR 1/2 thaler
The first specimen was lot 20596 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Chicago, August 2019), where it sold for $1,020. The catalog description[1] noted,
"Popular St. George Slays the Dragon Issue The Finest Certified at NGC or PCGS! GERMANY. Friedberg. 1/2 Taler, 1766-S(N)R. Franz Heinrich von Dalberg. NGC MS-63+. Convention Taler issue. An attractively designed and popular type that provides an unique forward-facing illustration of the famous 'St. George Slaying a Dragon' motif on the obverse and a regal crowned dual-headed eagle design on the reverse. While only scarce as a type, and often seen in or around Mint State quality, this example emphatically stands out from virtually all others in its near-presentation quality. Not only does this coin feature entirely prooflike fields that gleam with every turn beneath a light, but the strike is as full as we've encountered, with impressively coarse dentilation at the edges and central designs that are deeply frosted and crisp where incompleteness is frequently seen. Attractive peripheral tone accompanies the edges, but only plays a small part in the overall eye-appeal. On a whole, a tough coin to estimate due to its clearly special quality, but one that will undoubtedly attract the collector that finds quality insatiable. From the Linda Collection."
The second specimen was lot 41472 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2023), where it sold for $600. The catalog description[2] noted, "GERMANY. Friedberg. 1/2 Taler, 1766-S(N)R. Franz Heinrich von Dalberg. PCGS MS-62. Convention Taler issue." The SCWC lists this one-year type as rare. The Burgravate of Freidberg passed to Hesse in 1802.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 14.03 g, 0.833 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM-71; Lejeune-79.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, The August 2019 Chicago ANA Auction: World Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2019.
- [2]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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