Liege 1744 ducat Fr-333
This specimen was lot 743 in Jean Elsen sale 138 (Brussels, September 2018), where it sold for €3,200 (about US$4,441 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"LIEGE, Principauté, Siège vacant (1744), AV ducat au saint Lambert, 1744. 114 p. frappées. D/ B. mitré du saint à g. R/ Ecu couronné aux armes de la principauté, sur un manteau d'hermine. Extrêmement rare Petit défaut de flan au centre et brisures des coins. Très Beau/Superbe. (prince-bishopric of Liège, sede vacante, ducat of St. Lambert of 1744, 114 pieces struck. Obverse: mitred bust of the bishop to left; reverse: capped arms of the principality. Very rare, Planchet defect at center and die clash, very fine to extremely fine.)"
The bishopric of Liège was an ecclesiastical state in central Belgium and usually ruled by a Hapsburg client. The surrounding territory was ruled by the Spanish Hapsburgs from about 1500 until 1699 and the Austrian Hapsburgs 1714-97. The type shown here was struck 1744 during the interval of the death of George Louis and the elevation of John Theodore. The SCWC notes it as rare. The issue of ducats ceased after 1716 except for these issues of sede vacante ducats.
Recorded mintage: 114.
Specification: 3.5 g, .985 fine gold, this specimen 3,44 g.
Catalog reference: Chestret 675; Dengis 1154; Delm-367, KM 149, Fr-333.
- Jean-Luc Dengis, Les Monnaies de la Principauté de Liege, 3 vols. Wetteren: Moneta, 2006.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 138, Collection A. BLONDEL, Collection M. HENDRICKX, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils, S.A., 2018.
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