Prussia 1759 groscher
The first specimen was lot 24483 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (Newport Beach, CA, January 2021), where it sold for $780. The catalog description[1] noted, "POLAND. East PRUSSIA. Grosz, 1759. Elizabeth. NGC AU-55. Small date. A RARE, boldly struck coin with dark gray toning and no notable surface marks." The second specimen was lot 3851 in Künker sale 353 (Osnabrück, Germany, September 2021), where it sold for €2,400 (about US$3,340 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[2] noted,
"BRANDENBURG-PREUSSEN, PREUSSEN, KÖNIGREICH, Ostpreußen unter russischer Besatzung. Groschen 1759, ohne Münzzeichen, Königsberg. Ohne Punkt am Anfang der Vorderseitenumschrift. Von großer Seltenheit. Herrliche Patina, vorzüglich. Exemplar der Slg. Manfred Olding, Auktion Fritz Rudolf Künker 10, Osnabrück 1988, Nr. 638. (Germany, kingdom of Prussia, East Prussia under Russian occupation, groschen of 1759, without mintmark, Königsberg mint, without dot at the start of the obverse legend. Very rare, handsome patina, extremely fine.)"
This groschen (grosz in Polish) was issued by the Russians 1759-61 during their occupation of East Prussia during the Seven Years War (1757-63). It is accompanied by a schilling (KM 286), a one-sixth thaler (KM D290) and one-third thaler (KM E290). Frederick the Great was trapped by the Russians and the Austrians and was preparing to surrender when the news arrived that the tsarina had suddenly died, withdrawing Russia from the war.
Recorded mintage: 112,650.
Specification: 0.88 g, silver, 16 mm diameter. The second specimen is 0,83 g.
Catalog reference: KM 287 (formerly KM-C42); Bit-772. The second specimen Olding 459; Kluge K 31.1.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- Bitkin, Vladimir, Composite Catalogue of Russian Coins, Part II (1740-1917), Kiev: Moneta, 2003.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, The January 2021 NYINC Sale: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, featuring the Oro del Nuevo Mundo and Matt Orsini Collections, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2020.
- [2]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Künker Auktion 353: Die Sammlung Axel Tesmer, Teil 2: Prägungen der Könige von Preussen von der Kroning 1701 bis zum Ende der Monarchie. Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2021.
Link to:
- Prussia 1756-D mariengroschen
- Prussia 1759 schilling Russian occupation
- Prussia 1759 2 groscher Russian occupation
- Prussia 1759 3 groscher Russian occupation
- Prussia 1759 6 groscher Russian occupation
- Prussia 1759 18 groschen Russian occupation
- 1759-A 1/6 thaler
- 1759-B 8 gute groschen
- 1759-F 8 gute groschen
- 1759 ⅓ thaler, Dresden mint, no mint mark
- 1759-A ⅓ thaler
- Prussia 1760 groscher, issued by the Russian occupiers
- Prussia 1761 groscher, issued by the Russian occupiers
- Prussia 1761 1/6 thaler, issued by the Russian occupiers
- Prussia 1761 1/3 thaler, issued by the Russian occupiers
- Coins and currency dated 1759