Liege 1584 12 sols
This specimen was lot 1109 in Jean Elsen sale 156 (Brussels, September 2023), where it sold for €60 (about US$77 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"LIEGE, Principauté, Ernest de Bavière (1581-1612), Cu brûlé de 12 sols (gigot), 1584, Liège. D/ B. cuir. à d., le col fraisé. R/ Ecu couronné, écartelé de Bavière-Palatinat, entre deux rosettes. En dessous, XII. Très Beau. (principality of Liège, Ernest of Bavaria, 1581-1612, copper brulé of twelve sols or gigot of 1584, Liège mint. Obverse: armored bust right in a ruffed collar; reverse: crowned and quartered arms of Bavaria and the Palatinate between two rosettes, the value below. Very Fine.)"
The bishopric of Liège was an ecclesiastical state in central Belgium. The surrounding territory was ruled by the Spanish Hapsburgs from about 1500 until 1699 and the Austrian Hapsburgs 1714-97.
Ernest was the first of four prince-bishops from Bavaria. They were also dukes of Bouillon, archbishops of Cologne and electors of the Empire, all of which titles appeared in various combinations on their coins. They are as follows:
- Ernest, r. 1581-1612, archbishop of Cologne (1583-1612), bishop of Münster (1584-1612), Freising, Hildesheim and Liège.
- Ferdinand, r. 1612-50, archbishop of Cologne, bishop of Münster, Hildesheim, Paderborn (1618-50) and Liège. Never ordained as a priest.
- Maximilian Henry, r. 1650-88, archbishop of Cologne, bishop of Münster, Hildesheim and Liège. Lost the duchy of Bouillon to Louis XIV.
- Joseph Clement, r. 1688-1723, bishop of Regensburg and Freising (1685-94) and archbishop of Cologne, bishop of Hildesheim (1702-23) and Liège (1694-1723).
- Clemens August, r. 1723-61, bishop of Regensburg (1716-19) and then archbishop of Cologne, bishop of Münster, Hildesheim, Osnabrück and Paderborn but never ruled in Liège. His incompetence and extravagance ended Wittelsbach rule in Cologne.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: copper, this specimen is 2,35 g.
Catalog reference: Chestret 554; Dengis 958.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 156, Collection de Monnaies de la Principauté de Liège, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2023.
Link to:
- (1581-1612) liard, Ernest of Bavaria
- (15)82 demi-ernestus = 3 patards
- 1582 ernestus (réal), Hasselt and Maaseik mints
- 1583 brûlé de 12 sols, Maaseik mint
- 1583 brûlé de 16 sols, Maaseik mint
- 1583 billon double aidant
- (1584) brûlé de 8 sols (tiers de liard)
- 1584 brûlé de 16 sols
- 1584 demi-ernestus
- 1584 daler à l'écu
- 1586 brûlé de 12 sols, Maaseik mint
- (15)86 demi-ernestus = 3 patards
- Coins and currency dated 1584