Poland 1633 5 ducats
This specimen was lot 33306 in Heritage sale 3135 (Pittsburgh, September 2026), where it sold for $146,400. The catalog description[1] noted, "Poland: Exceedingly Scarce Polish 5 Ducat. Wladislaus IV gold 5 Ducat 1633 AU55 ANACS, Struck for the king's coronation in 1633, which elevated Wladislaus from the House of Vasa to the highest seat in the Polish empire. As far as we can tell, this is one of only two surviving pieces of this remarkable type and date, with the last public sale--presumably of the other specimen that appears to be in a lesser state of preservation--taking place in 2002 (CNG Auction 60, Lot 2150). There is a recorded sale of a 1633 specimen that dates to 1965 (Hess-Leu Auction 29, Lot 1004), though we cannot verify if this is that exact specimen. Despite the history of the type that is shrouded in mystery, there is no denying the magisterial beauty of this example, with abundant remaining luster and most of the detail still appearing crisp from centuries of careful preservation. This coin is worthy of its legacy ANACS holder, which is a treasure in itself, and will undoubtedly pique the interest of advanced collectors of an already difficult collecting area." Wladyslaw IV, a member of the Swedish Wasa family, ruled Poland 1633-48. The five ducats shown in the SCWC for KM 57 is a completely different coin dated 1642.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 17.5 g, 0.986 fine gold, this specimen 9.89 g.
Catalog reference: KM 57var, Fr-Unlisted.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- 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.
- [1]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, 2026 September 1 - 5 ANA World & Ancient Coins Platinum Session and Signature® Auction #3135, featuring The Vila Rica Collection of Brazilian Gold Coins, Part II, and The Grundy Collection of Latin American and Spanish Coins, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2026.
Link to: