Liege (1521-38) 1/2 snaphaen
This specimen was lot 1144 in Jean Elsen sale 158 (Brussels, March 2024), where it sold for €2,000 (about US$2,601 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"LIEGE, Principauté, Erard de la Marck (1506-1538), AR demi-snaphaen, après 1521, Hasselt (?). D/ ERARD' D'- MAR' CA-DINAL' Z- EPS' LEO' Ecu de la Marck sur une croix ornée. R/ SA-NCTVS* HV-BERTV'* Saint Hubert galopant à d., levant les mains en geste de surprise. Devant le cheval, un cerf. A l'ex.: *MAR*. De la plus haute rareté. Faiblesse de frappe. Très Beau. Provient de la collection H. Frère, Liège, 25 avril 2002. (prince-bishopric of Liège, Érard de La Marck, 1506-38, silver half "hen-snatcher", struck after 1521, probably Hasselt mint. Obverse: arms of de la Marck over an ornate cross; reverse: St. Hubert gallops right, his hands raised in surprise; before the horse, a deer, "*MAR*" in the exergue. Extremely rare, weakly struck, Very Fine.)"
The galloping figure, intended to be St. Hubert, was quickly identified by the populace with the roving brigands who infested the countryside, pillaging farms and stealing chickens. These "snaphaens" were struck at several localities in the Netherlands but the half "snaphaens" are rare.
Reported Mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver or billon, this specimen 3,78 g.
Catalog reference: Chestret 443; coll. Piat -; Dengis 833.
- Roberts, James N., The Silver Coins of Medieval France (476-1610 AD), S. Salem, NY: Attic Books, 1996.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 158, Monnaies de la Principauté de Liège, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2024.
Link to: