Hanau-Lichtenberg 1695 10 ducats Fr-1150
This specimen was lot 30245 in Heritage auction 3096 (Dallas, TX, March 2021), where it sold for $372,000. The catalog description[1] noted,
"One of Only Two 10 Ducats Minted for Hanau-Lichtenberg, Unique for this Date. German States: Hanau-Lichtenberg. Philipp Reinhard gold 10 Ducat 1695 AU58 NGC, Heidelberg or Darmstadt mint. Struck from Taler dies (cf. KM 103.1). A rare constellation of technical and historic desirability among the many emissions from the German States. Entirely unknown to Suchier in 1897, at the time that his foundational study on the coinage of Hanau was published, the type was also missing from Joseph Hamburger's October 1908 sale of his collection. Even Davenport only states that "[t]here is a taler of 1688 known only in gold" (pg. 217) with no indication whatsoever that he knew of this piece. One of only two multiple ducats struck throughout the entire history of Hanau-Lichtenberg--both presumed unique--it is likely no accident that their production occurred during the reign of Philipp Reinhard. One of his principal aims, after reaching his majority in 1687, was a thoughtful territorial and fiscal policy meant to undo the ruin brought to his house by the careless escapades of his uncle, Friedrich Casimir, during the Thirty Years' War. And what a magnificent testament to the young Duke's commitment! Featuring one of the only city views of Lichtenberg on a contemporary coin, the scene preserved on the reverse is absolutely breathtaking--a cherub among the clouds, presenting a banner inscribed with HANAU, the duchy's arms flanked by lions below, and the cityscape in-between. What is perhaps even more intriguing is that the obverse legends appear to have been double struck, with a major rotation of the dies--the RE of REIN visible beneath the TZ of MVNTZ. Speculating on the value of such a unique piece seems an impossible task, though, for reference, Friedberg records this coin last being sold in Zurich in 1992, where it brought an incredible 96,000 CHF. From the Paramount Collection."
The other ten ducats of this state is Fr-1149a, issued in 1688. We have filed this type under Hesse-Darmstadt as that is the state which annexed the county on the extinction of the dynasty.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 35 g, 0.986 fine gold, this specimen 34.33 g.
Catalog reference: KM 105 (Rare; this coin), Fr-1150 (Unique), Suchier-Unl., Reimmann-Unl., Henneberg Collection-Unl.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- 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.
- Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
- [1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano and Warren Tucker, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3096, featuring the Paramount Collection of World & Ancient Coins, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2021.
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