Middelburg 1573 kroon Fr-164-1

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from Heritage sale 3097, lot 30335
H3097-30335r.jpg

This specimen was lot 30335 in Heritage sale 3097 (New York, January 2022), where it sold for $26,400. The catalog description[1] noted,

"Brilliant Near-Gem Gold Siege Piece from Middelburg - Plated in Friedberg & Vanhoudt, Netherlands: Middelburg. City gold Siege Klippe Kroon 1573-Dated MS64 NGC. An incredible relic from this historic siege of Eighty Years' War, preserved in a quality that can only be the result of careful storage not long after it was first struck and distributed. Ultimately suffering a bitter two-year siege from combined Zeelandic and English forces, the city of Middelburg long remained loyal to the Spanish King Philip II. Though there were hopes of a relief fleet in November of 1573, which van Loon states was under the charge of a Mr. Beauvois, the Spanish effort was ultimately defeated at Rimmerswiel in January. By this time, van Loon states that famine in the city was so severe that "people satisfied their hunger with linseed waffles and malt cakes instead of bread, and with the meat of horses, dogs, cats and rats, just to stay alive." Already something of an anomaly for an emergency coinage, siege issues struck in gold have generally been few and far between throughout history. While Van Loon believed that gold coins such as this were meant to pay the garrison defending the city, together with issues in silver, lead, and paper, van Gelder later supposed that they were more likely minted in March 1574 to pay contributions to the victors--the old Dutch calendar's transition to the New Year on Easter 1574 accounting for the type's dating.

Clearly recognized for its superb quality by such references as Friedberg, Vanhoudt, and Saunders and Vanhoudt's recent English translation of Gerard van Loon's classic Beschryving der Nederlandsche Historipenningen, and perhaps stemming from the collection of A.O. van Kerkwijk as indicated by the 1958 Schulman catalog, to say that this piece is a miracle of survivorship would be a serious understatement. Bound in its designation by only some trivial wisps over the blank reverse, the piece is otherwise boldly lustrous and perfectly centered, with only the slightest evidence of double-striking present. Indeed, this piece very likely exceeds the ex. Adams/Brand/Ferrari specimen in technical preservation. Ex. UBS Gold & Numismatics Auction 84 (January 2010, Lot 1259); Jacques Schulman Auction 229 (March 1958, Lot 383)."

Other siege coins included a four, three and two kronen, all very rare.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: gold; this specimen 3.35 g.

Catalog reference: Fr-164-1 (this coin), Van Loon-I-169 (now van Loon-I-140 in Saunders & Vanhoudt's translation; this coin illustrated as 1573•16 on Plate XIV), Maillet-pg. 324, 8.2, Delm-919 (R2), CNM-2.35.5, PW-Mi05 var. (slightly different design, biface), Vanhoudt-464 (R3; this coin).

Source:

  • 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.
  • Delmonte, A., Le Bénélux D'or, Amsterdam: Jacques Schulman N.V., 1964, with supplements to 1977.
  • Korchnak, Lawrence C., Siege Coins of the World, 1453-1902, Lancaster, PA: Classical Numismatic Group, 2021.
  • van der Wis, Jan, and Tom Passon, Catalogus van de Nederlandse Munten geslagen sind bet aantreden van Philips II tot aan het einde van de Bataafse Republiek (1555-1806), 2nd ed., Apeldoorn, Netherlands: Omni-Trading b.v., 2009.
  • van Gelder, H. Enno, and Marcel Hoc, Les Monnaies des pays-Bas Bourguignons et Espagnols, 1434-1713, Amsterdam, J. Schulman, 1960, with supplement of 1964.
  • [1]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, NYINC World Coins Platinum Night Auction 3097, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2021.

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