Liege 1650 escalin
This specimen was lot 1167 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 escalin, 1650, Liège. D/ Lion deb. à g., ten. une épée et une crosse sur laquelle est posé un écusson de Bouillon. R/ Ecu de Bavière couronné, chargé de l'écusson de Bouillon, sur une croix de Bourgogne. Rare. presque Très Beau. Provient de la collection A. Symkens, 25 novembre 1991. (principality of Liège, Ferdinand of Bavaria, 1612-50, silver escalin of 1650, Liège mint. Obverse: lion rampant left with sword and cross, supporting the arms of Bouillon; reverse: crowned arms of Bavaria, with the escutcheon of Boulillon over a Burgundian cross. Rare, about 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 1636-37, 1640-41, 1646 and 1650. This date is among the last for Ferdinand before his death.
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 4,01 g.
Catalog reference: KM 58, Chestret 606; Dengis 1059.
- 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: