Luneburg (1440-52) goldgulden Fr-1512
This specimen was lot 3687 in Künker sale 294 (Osnabrück, Germany, July 2017), where it sold for €460 (about US$620 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"LÜNEBURG, STADT, Goldgulden o. J. (1440-1452), mit Titel Friedrichs III. als König. Mit schräg gestelltem Löwenschild auf der Vorder- und kleiner Blüte nach FRIDERICVS auf der Rückseite. GOLD. Winz. Schrötlingsfehler am Rand, kl. Prägeschwäche, sehr schön. (Germany, city of Luneburg, undated goldgulden, struck in the name of Frederick III as king, with lion's shield on obverse and rosette on reverse. Minor edge defect, slightly weak strike, very fine.)"
Luneburg revolted against its lords and obtained its status as an imperial free city in 1392. It maintained its independence until 1637 but the decline of the Hanseatic League and the town's salt trade allowed the dukes of Brunswick-Luneburg to reclaim it. The last gold coins were issued in the 1650's.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.25 grams, 0.986 fine gold, this specimen 3,28 g.
Catalog reference: Fr-1512; Mader 45.
- [1]Künker Münzauktionen und Goldhandel, Katalog 294: Goldprägungen | Deutsche Münzen ab 1871 | Russische Münzen und Medaillen, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2017.
- 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.
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