Liege 1613 2 testons
This specimen was lot 1146 in Jean Elsen sale 156 (Brussels, September 2023), where it sold for €380 (about US$488 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"LIEGE, Principauté, Ferdinand de Bavière (1612-1650), AR double teston, 1613, Bouillon. D/ B. à g., en costume électoral. Sans marque de valeur. R/ DVX BVLLONIENSIS Ecu de Bouillon couronné, sur une crosse et une épée en sautoir, entre trois fleurons. Sans rosettes dans le champ. Très Beau. (principality of Liège, Ferdinand of Bavaria, 1612-50, silver double teston of 1613, Bouillon mint. Obverse: bust left in electoral costume without mark of value; reverse: crowned arms of Bouillon over a cross and a sword between three florettes. Without rosettes in the field. 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.
Ferdinand was the second 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: silver, this specimen is 16,39 g.
Catalog reference: KM 45.2, Chestret 587 var.; Dengis 1021; Delm-462 var.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- [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:
- 1612 teston, Ernest of Bavaria
- 1612 teston, Ferdinand of Bavaria
- 1612 double teston de 30 patards
- 1612 florin d'or, Bouillon mint
- Liege (1613) real
- (1613) double patard, plain arms
- 1613 quadruple teston, Bouillon mint
- 1613 écu d'or, Bouillon mint
- 1613 florin d'or, Bouillon mint
- 1613 double couronne d'or, Bouillon mint
- 1614 demi-daler au lion de 15 patards
- 1614 daler au lion de 30 patards
- 1614 nouveau daler Ferdinand de 30 sols
- (1614) florin d'or au type rhénan
- 1614 couronne d'or
- Coins and currency dated 1613