Liege 1619 1/2 daler
This specimen was lot 1156 in Jean Elsen sale 156 (Brussels, September 2023), where it did not sell. The catalog description[1] noted,
"LIEGE, Principauté, Ferdinand de Bavière (1612-1650), AR demi-daler Ferdinand de 15 sols, 1619, Liège. Au titre de duc de Bouillon. D/ B. à g. R/ Cartouche aux armes de Bouillon, sous une couronne, entre F-B. Rare. Le droit légèrement décentré. Belle patine. Très Beau. (principality of Liège, Ferdinand of Bavaria, 1612-50, silver half dollar of fifteen sols of 1619, Liège mint, struck in the name of the duke of Bouillon. Obverse: bust left; reverse: cartouche with the arms of Bouillon, under a crown, between the initials "F-B". Rare, obverse slightly off center, nice patina, 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. This type was struck 1619, 1625, 1635. It has the date below the shield which is hard to see on this example.
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 8,15 g.
Catalog reference: KM D53.3, Chestret 593; Dengis 1040A; Delm-468.
- 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.
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