Hungary 1539 goldgulden Fr-42
This specimen was lot 21190 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Philadelphia, August 2018), where it sold for $1,320. The catalog description[1] noted, "HUNGARY. Goldgulden, 1539. Klausenburg Mint. Johannes Zapolya (1526-40). NGC AU-50. In 1526, the Ottomans crushed the Hungarian army and killed the king at the battle of Mohacs, but did not follow up with effective occupation. Ferdinand of Austria claimed the vacant throne but John Zapolya, governor of Transylvania, was on the spot with an army and filled the void. After nearly continuous warfare between the Austrians, the Turks and John's Transylvanians, he ceded the throne to the Hapsburgs on his death without issue in 1540. This goldgulden type was struck for a number of years but is today VERY SCARCE. This example shows a little wear, but is fully struck and quite decent." Ludwig II, the last king of Hungary, was killed at the battle of Mohacs in 1526, leaving his beleaguered domain to be partitioned between the Turks and the Hapsburgs. Johann Zapolya was a Transylvanian prince who attempted to rule Hungary as a Turkish vassal. Friedberg lists this scarce type for 1527-40.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.5 g, 0.986 fine gold, .109 troy oz ASW.
Catalog reference: Fr-42.
- 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.
- Adolf Resch, Siebenburgische Münzen und Medaillen von 1538 bis Gegenwart. Hermannstadt, 1901 (reprinted in Montreal, 1965).
- [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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