Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1778 2 thaler Fr-1723
This specimen was lot 1981 in Künker sale 352 (Osnabrück, Germany, September 2021), where it sold for €1,800 (about US$2,505 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"MECKLENBURG, MECKLENBURG-SCHWERIN, HERZOGTUM, Friedrich, 1756-1785. 2 Taler 1778, Schwerin. GOLD. R Nur 2.417 Exemplare geprägt. Feine Kratzer, vorzüglich-Stempelglanz. (Germany, duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Frederick, 1756-85, two thaler of 1778, Schwerin mint. Only 2,417 examples struck. Fine scratches, extremely fine to uncirculated.)"
The duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin lies on the Baltic Sea north of Berlin and east of Hamburg. It is one of the poorer parts of Germany and coinage from this locale is scanty and rare. It followed other north German states in issuing multiple thalers in gold rather than ducats. Four dates (1769, 1778, 1782-83) exist for this type, all rare. Two thalers equalled a goldgulden.
Recorded mintage: 2,417.
Specification: 3.12 g, 0.875 fine gold, this specimen 3.09 g.
Catalog reference: KM 210, Fr-1723; Kunzel 340 A/b.
- 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.
- 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, Künker Auktion 352: Die Sammlung Hermann Schwarz: Faszination des gepragten Goldes. Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2021.
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