Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1705-ZDK thaler Dav-2439
This specimen was lot 173 in Künker sale 400 (Berlin, February 2024), where it sold for €6,500 (about US$8,433 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"MECKLENBURG-SCHWERIN, HERZOGTUM, Friedrich Wilhelm, 1692-1713. Reichstaler 1705, Schwerin. Büste mit großer Perücke r. darunter Münzmeisterzeichen ZDK (Zacharias Daniel Kelp, Münzmeister in Schwerin 1695-1708)//Gekröntes, sechsfeldiges Barockwappen mit Mittelschild und Elefantenorden, unten zu den Seiten zwei Greifenköpfe, darüber Spruchband mit PROVIDE · ET · CONSTANTER ·. RR Vorzüglich. Exemplar der Aution Fritz Rudolf Künker 69, Osnabrück 2001, Nr. 5370. (Germany, duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Frederick William, 1692-1713, thaler of 1705, Schwerin mint. Obverse: bust with large wig, initials below; reverse: crowned, sixfold arms with escutcheon and Order of the Elephant, griffin's head below, banner above with motto. Very rare, extremely fine.)
Friedrich Wilhelm wurde 1675 als erster Sohn Friedrichs, 1638-1688, geboren. Er vermählte sich 1704 mit Sophie Charlotte, Tochter des Landgrafen Karl von Hessen-Kassel, und starb am 31. Juli 1713. (Friedrich Wilhelm was born in 1675 as the first son of Friedrich, 1638-1688. In 1704 he married Sophie Charlotte, daughter of Landgrave Charles of Hesse-Kassel, and died on July 31, 1713.)"
This scarce type was also struck in 1706. Wikipedia comments,
"In June 1692, when Christian Louis I died in exile and without sons, a dispute arose about the succession to his duchy between his brother, Adolphus Frederick II, and his nephew, Frederick William. The emperor and the rulers of Sweden and of the Electorate of Brandenburg took part in this struggle, which was intensified...when...the family ruling over Mecklenburg-Güstrow became extinct. In 1701...Mecklenburg was divided between the two claimants. The Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was given to Frederick William, and the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, roughly a recreation of the medieval Stargard lordship, to Adolphus Frederick II. At the same time, the principle of primogeniture was reasserted, and the right of summoning the joint Landtag was reserved to the ruler of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Continued conflicts and partitions weakened the rule of the dukes and affirmed the reputation of Mecklenburg as one of the most backward territories of the Empire."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver, this specimen 29,03 g.
Catalog reference: KM 161, Dav-2439; Kunzel 283 A/a.
- Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
- Davenport, John S., German Talers, 1700-1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1965.
- 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 400: Selected löser of the Dukes of Guelph from the Friedrich Popken Collection | Numismatic treasures from the Medieval and Modern Times, a. o. "multiple portraits" from a Westphalian private collection, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2024.
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