Luxembourg 1889 5 francs KM-E20
This specimen was lot 1447 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2022), where it sold for $3,120. The catalog description[1] noted, "LUXEMBOURG. Silver 5 Francs Essai (Pattern), 1889. Brussels Mint. William III. NGC PROOF-60. Quite RARE, this coin displays extreme brilliance with a touch of golden tone that clings to the raised surfaces. Moderate handling in the form of hairlines, most visibly present around the denomination, determine the grade. Struck the year prior to the death of William III, with Luxembourg passing to the German State of the House of Nassau-Weilburg as a result, with this coin type being the last for Luxembourg prior to the 20th century." Luxembourg was part of the Austrian Netherlands during most of the eighteenth century and was part of revolutionary and Napoleonic France during 1797-1815. At the Congress of Vienna, the duchy was awarded to the king of the Netherlands. In 1830, most of the duchy joined the new state of Belgium but a sliver remained part of the Netherlands and was under Dutch rule until the death of William III in 1890. His heir was queen Wilhelmina who, being female, was disqualified to be duchess of Luxembourg. Another princeling (a former duke of Nassau) was found to become grand duke and Luxembourg assumed her current status as an independent state. During the Dutch period, few coins were issued specifically for Luxembourg; 2½, five and ten centimes were issued for circulation 1854-55, 1860, 1870. This type, along with the accompanying five centimes and ten centimes, is a pattern.
Recorded mintage: 50.
Specification: probably 25 g, 0.900 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM-E20.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The 2022 NYINC Sale: World and Ancient Coins, featuring the Mark and Lottie Salton Collection and the Pat Johnson Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
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