Livonia (15)56 ferding
This specimen was lot 72751 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, May 2023), where it did not sell. The catalog description[1] noted, "LIVONIA. Ferding, "56" (1556). Cesis (as Weden) Mint. Heinrich Von Galen. NGC MS-64. This beautiful near-Gem glows and glistens with a tremendous eye appeal and soft luster throughout. The strike is full and complete, with no signs of aggressive marking or handling throughout." 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. Wenden was attacked by Ivan the Terrible in 1558 but ceded to Poland in 1598. The Swedes arrived in 1601 and attacked the city several times but did not take the place until 1620.
One mark was worth four ferdings or 36 schillings. The first ferdings were a joint issue of the Archbishop of Riga Jasper Linde (1509–1524) and Master of the Livonian Order Wolter von Plettenberg (1494–1535). Ferdings were struck from silver of .930 fineness in Riga, Tallinn and Tartu. In 1525, the ferding was equated to 10 schillings and in 1551–1557, to 14 schillings. In 1557, ferdings were being struck from silver of .578 fineness.
The SCWC mentions ferdings from Reval/Tallinn (KM MB43, struck 1553-57) and Riga (KM MB51, struck 1556, KM MB58, struck 1558, and KM MB60, struck 1560) but not from this mint.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver, 0.578 fine.
Catalog reference: Neumann-253.
- Nicol, N. Douglas, Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of German Coins, 1501-Present, 3rd ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2011.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, May 2023 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, Featuring the Richard Elliott Collection of Hooknecks, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2023.
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