Mainz 1759 heller
This specimen was lot 2481 in Künker sale 404 (Osnabrück, March 2024), where it sold for €360 (about US$472 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"DAS ERZBISTUM MAINZ. ERZBISCHOF JOHANN FRIEDRICH KARL VON OSTEIN, 1743-1763. Die Münzstätte Erfurt. Silberabschlag von den Stempeln des Ku.-Hellers 1759, Erfurt. Ohne Signatur. Das Wappen von Mainz in mit Kurhut bedeckter Kartusche, dahinter Schwert und Krummstab gekreuzt//* I * / HELLER / S • M / 1759. RR Sehr schön. Exemplar der Auktion Bankhaus Partin 21, München 1985, Nr. 1023 und der Slg. Heinz Beaury, Auktion Fischer 7, Bonn 2022, Nr. 5336. (Germany, archbishopric of Mainz, John Frederick Charles of Ostein, 1743-63, silver strike using dies for the 1759 heller, Erfurt mint, without signature. Obverse: capped arms of Mainz in a cartouche, crossed sword and crozier behind; reverse: value and date. Very rare, very fine.)"
Johann Friedrich Karl was also bishop of Worms. He supported the losing side in both the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years War and the reparations extorted from him by the emperor bankrupted the archdiocese. The heller was half a pfennig. KM lists no hellers for this state after 1626.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: billon, this specimen 0,89 g.
Catalog reference: KM unlisted, Gräßler 37 a (this example); Schön -; Slg. Pick I (Auktion Dr. Busso Peus Nachf. 405) -; Slg. Walther -.
- Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- [1]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Katalog 404: Coins and Medals of the City of Mainz - The Prof. Dr. Eckhart Pick Collection, Part II, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2024.
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