Paderborn 1767-AS pfenning
This specimen was lot 1553 in Künker Auction 425 (Osnabrück, July 2025), where it sold for €18,000 (about US$25,488 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"DEUTSCHE MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN · PADERBORN, BISTUM Wilhelm Anton von der Asseburg, 1763-1782. Goldabschlag von den Stempeln des Ku.-Pfennigs 1767, Neuhaus. · WH · ANT · D · G · EPS · PADERB · S · R · I · PR · C · PVRM Fünffeldiges Wappen in herzförmiger Kartusche, dahinter Schwert und Krummstab gekreuzt, zu den Seiten das Münzmeisterzeichen A - S (Johann Anton Schröder, Münzmeister in Neuhaus 1763-1786), oben Fürstenhut//I / PFENNIG / SCHEIDE / MUNTZ / 1767. GOLD. Von allergrößter Seltenheit, besonders in dieser Erhaltung. Wohl einziges bekanntes Exemplar. Prachtexemplar. Winz. Schrötlingsfehler am Rand, vorzüglich-Stempelglanz. (Germany, bishopric of Paderborn, Wilhelm Anton von der Asseburg, 1763-1782, gold off metal strike of a penny of 1767, Neuhaus mint. Obverse: five-fold arms in a heart-shaped cartouche, crozier and sword behind, with the initials "A S", prince's cap above; reverse: value and date. Extremely rare, especially in this quality, only a few known, cabinet piece. Minor planchet defect on the edge, extremely fine to uncirculated.)"
The bishop of Paderborn was suffragan to the bishop of Münster but still managed to issue a few coins for his domain. This type was struck in copper 1766-67. The SCWC does not mention this gold issue but notes some in silver (KM Pn43). Wilhelm Anton was not a pluralist although his precedessor, Clemens August, was also archbishop of Cologne and bishop of Liege. The bishopric was annexed to Prussia in 1803, during Napoleon's reorganization of Germany.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specifications: 2.3 g, copper, 20 mm diameter, this specimen gold.
Catalog reference: KM 246, Schwede - (see 336 E/a, struck in copper).
- 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 425: Gold coins from the Medieval and Modern Times, from the Mohr family collection, e.g. | Silver coins, e.g. highlights of medallic art | German coins after 1871, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2025.
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