Liege 1630 real
This specimen was lot 1165 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 réal Ferdinand (bavière), 1630, Liège. Différent: perron. Au titre de Ferdinand II de Habsbourg. D/ Ecu orné, écartelé de Bavière-Palatinat, séparant la date. R/ Croix ornée avec l'aigle impériale en coeur. Très rare. Très Beau. (principality of Liège, Ferdinand of Bavaria, 1612-50, silver real of 1630, Liège mint, column privy mark, struck in the name of the emperor Ferdinand II. Obverse: ornate arms of Bavaria and the Palatinate divide the date; reverse: ornate cross with the imperial eagle at the center. Very rare, 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 variety has the obverse legend "FERD·DE·G·EPS·ET·PRIN·COL". This type is listed for 1629-31 and is rare. On this example, the "30" of the date can be seen to the right of the shield.
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 3,53 g.
Catalog reference: KM A56, Chestret 601; coll. Piat -; Dengis 1054.
- 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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