Poland (1686) 2 ducats Fr-96
This specimen was lot 1500 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2022), where it sold for $19,200. The catalog description[1] noted,
"Rare and Important Double Ducat, POLAND. 2 Ducats (Crown), ND (1674-96). Bromberg Mint. Johann III Sobieski. PCGS Genuine--Repaired, Unc Details. Obverse: 'IOAN:III D:G:REX POL.M:D:LIT.R:PR.'; Reverse: 'SOLI DEO LAUS HONOR & GLORIA'. This EXTREMELY RARE gold issue, clearly struck in limited quantities, seldom appears on the market and usually with many years or decades between appearances. The strike is bold with evidence of being struck multiple times on a wavy flan and plenty of remaining luster in the protected areas. Close inspection reveals central planchet laminations on both sides and several small scratches in the obverse fields accounts for the details designation. Despite its shortcomings this type is highly desirable in any condition and is sure to add depth to the next collection it enters.
It is interesting to note that there are probably only about eight known examples of this issue, four in institutions (Czapski, National Museum in Warsaw, Vienna and the Hermitage). It is our understanding that the famous Polish Numismatic author Marian Gumowski knew of four examples in private collections (Potocki, Sobanski, Mankowski and Czerwinski) though the where abouts of these are unknown to us."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 7 g, 0.986 fine gold, this specimen 6.81 g.
Catalog reference: Fr-96; KM-133; Hutton-Czapski-2532; Kop-2007; Gum-2038.
- 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.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The 2022 NYINC Sale: World and Ancient Coins, featuring the Mark and Lottie Salton Collection and the Pat Johnson Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
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