Lubeck 1690 1/4 ducat Fr-1487
This specimen was lot 2446 in Künker sale 439 (Osnabrück, March 2026), where it sold for €1,300 (about US$1,789 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"LÜBECK, STADT 1/4 Dukat 1690, mit dem Abzeichen des Bürgermeisters Johann Ritter. Münzmeister Hans Ridder. GOLD. RR Attraktives Exemplar mit feinem Prägeglanz, vorzüglich-Stempelglanz. Exemplar der Sammlung Münzen und Medaillen aus adeligem Privatbesitz. (city of Lübeck, quarter ducat of 1690, with the initials of city mayor John Ritter. Very rare, attractive example with fine gold patina, extremely fine to uncirculated.)"
As the city of Lubeck was a republic, not a monarchy, there was no need to periodically update the ruler's portrait. The standing knight design is strongly reminiscent of Dutch ducats of the same period. This type was struck 1679, 1683, 1690-94, 1697, 1701-02, 1707, 1712-16, 1721, 1725 and 1728. Despite the many dates known, it remains rare.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 0.87 g, 0.986 fine gold, this specimen 0,87 g.
Catalog reference: KM 110, Behrens 578; Fr-1487.
- Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
- [1]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Frühjahrs-Auktion 439: Gold Coins from around the world, particularly Denmark, Habsburg, Malta and Saxony | German Coins after 1871 including Coins from the Collection of Jürgen and Erika Schmidt, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2026.
- 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.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
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