Magdeburg 1544 thaler Dav-9434
This specimen was lot 2223 in Künker Auction 425 (Osnabrück, July 2025), where it sold for €9,000 (about US$12,744 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"DEUTSCHE MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN · MAGDEBURG, ERZBISTUM Albrecht IV. von Brandenburg, 1513-1545. Taler 1544. Zwitterprägung, gefertigt mit dem Rückseitenstempel eines Halberstädter Talers 1544. Unter Kardinalshut und Lilienkreuz vierfeldiger Wappenschild mit aufgelegtem dreifeldigen Mittelschild, dahinter Schwert und Krummstab gekreuzt//Hl. Stephanus mit Steinen und Palmzweig steht halblinks zwischen der Jahreszahl 15 - 44. Von allergrößter Seltenheit. Wohl eines von drei bekannten Exemplaren in Privatbesitz. Hübsche Patina, sehr schön +. Exemplar der Auktion Fritz Rudolf Künker 327, Osnabrück 2019, Nr. 3448. (Germany, archbishopric of Magdeburg, Albert IV of Brandenburg, 1513-45, thaler of 1544. Mule struck with the reverse die of a 1544 Halberstadt thaler. Obverse: quartered arms with central escutcheon, crozier and sword behind, cardinal's hat and cross above; reverse: St. Stephen stands with stones and palm branch, dividing the date. Extremely rare. Probably one of three known examples in private hands. Beautiful patina, very fine.)"
Wikipedia comments, "Albert von Brandenburg (1490-1545) was a German cardinal, elector, Archbishop of Mainz from 1514 to 1545, and Archbishop of Magdeburg from 1513 to 1545. Through his notorious sale of indulgences, he became the catalyst for Martin Luther's Reformation and its staunch opponent." Magdeburg went over to Lutheranism quickly and was ruled by Lutherans after 1551.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specifications: silver, this specimen 28,72 g.
Catalog reference: KM MB56, Dav-9434 (this example); v. Schr. 88 (same reverse die); Besser/Brämer/Bürger 40.20 (this example).
- Davenport, John S., German Talers, 1500-1600, Frankfurt am Main, Numismatischer Verlag P. N. Schulten, 1979.
- Nicol, N. Douglas, Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of German Coins, 1501-Present, 3rd ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2011.
- [1]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Katalog 425: Gold coins from the Medieval and Modern Times, from the Mohr family collection, e.g. | Silver coins, e.g. highlights of medallic art | German coins after 1871, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2025.
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