Hesse-Cassel 1840 5 thaler Fr-1295
This specimen was lot 20577 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Philadelphia, August 2018), where it sold for $2,160. The catalog description[1] noted, "GERMANY. Hesse-Cassel. 5 Taler, 1840. Wilhelm II (1821-47). NGC MS-62. Nine-fold arms in collar of the Order of the Golden Lion, German titles of Elector Wilhelm II and his son and Regent Friedrich Wilhelm; Reverse: Large Roman numeral value "V THALER". Landgrave Wilhelm IX of Cassel was raised to the dignity of Elector in 1803 by Napoleon, only to see his state annexed to Hieronymus (Jerome) Napoleon's new Kingdom of Westphalia in 1806-1813. Restored, Wilhelm and his successors clung to the now meaningless title Elector to keep up with their Darmstadt cousins who were now Grand Dukes. A fabulous example, struck with glittering prooflike fields that have the visual quality of a Proof striking." The five thaler was equal to a Prussian friedrichs d'or. This type is listed for 1834-40. The electorate was annexed to Prussia in 1866 and her coinage ceased.
Recorded mintage: 17,000.
Specification: 6.65 g, 0.903 fine gold, .194 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: Fr-1295; KM-591.
- 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.
- [1]Ponterio, Richard, Kyle Ponterio and Chris Chatigny, The August 2018 Philadelphia ANA Auction: World Coins and Selections from the El Dorado Collection of Colombian Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2018.
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