Mainz (1397-99) goldgulden Fr-1615
This specimen was lot 20362 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2020), where it sold for $2,040. The catalog description[1] noted, "GERMANY. Mainz. Goldgulden, ND (1397-99). Bingen Mint. Johann II von Nassau. NGC MS-65. Obverse: Johann seated facing on ornate Gothic throne, holding crozier; coat-of-arms below; Reverse: Coat-of-arms within trilobe. A stunning Gem, this lustrous example features incredible brilliance and a razor sharp strike. Wholly well centered, this is undoubtedly a piece that will entice the collector of medieval gold. The Newman specimen, simply graded as an NGC MS-62, realized a hammer of $1,100 in early 2016. The degree of difference between these two could not be more overt." The archbishops of Mainz were prolific issuers of gold coins in the late middle ages but output dropped in the late fifteenth century, never to recover. This type comes without dates. The goldgulden was originally equal to the Venetian ducat but gradually shrank and lower in fineness.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.50 g, 0.986 fine gold, this specimen 3.52 g.
Catalog reference: Fr-1615.
- 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.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, The January 2020 NYINC Sale: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2019.
Link to:
- (1396-97) goldgulden, Bingen mint
- (1399-02) goldgulden, Bingen and Höchst mint, John II of Nassau
- Mainz (1404-09) goldgulden Fr-1620 Bingen, Höchst mints
- Coins and currency dated 1397