Livonia (15)54 1/2 mark

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Steve Album sale 55, lot 944

This specimen was lot 944 in Steve Album Auction 55 (Santa Rosa, CA, May 2026), where it sold for $600. The catalog description[1] noted, "LIVONIAN ORDER: Wilhelm von Brandenburg and Heinrich von Galen, 1540-1563, AR 1/2 mark, [15]54, joint coinage between the Archbishopric of Riga and the Livonian Order, central arms with flanking stars within inner beaded circle with WILHELM. D. G. AR. B. RIG. MA. BR and ornament around // arms separating date within beaded circle with +HINRICVS. DE. GALE. D. O. M. LI around, a few spots of dark residue, cleaned, much luster, attractive and rare, NGC graded AU details." Heinrich von Galen (1551-57) was the third to last commander of the Livonian Order, an offshoot of the Teutonic Knights. Like the Teutonic Knights, the Livonian Knights conquered extensive territories in the Baltic States in the Middle Ages and spent the ensuing centuries defending them from Swedes, Poles, Russians and Danes. The last commander converted to Lutheranism in 1561 and seized the remaining lands as a duchy for himself and his heirs. The region is now part of Latvia. This half mark with a two digit date was struck 1554-57.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specifications: this specimen 2.48 g.

Catalog reference: KM-MB47, Dav-139, Haljak-427a.

Sources:

  • Nicol, N. Douglas, Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of German Coins, 1501-Present, 3rd ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2011.
  • [1]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Hanbing Feng, Auction 55, featuring Selections from the Swamperbob Gurney Collection of Cap & Ray 8 Reales, the Kenneth A. Bovenkamp Collection of Ottoman Coins and the 1914 Collection of World Coins, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2026.

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