Prussia 1764-A friedrichs d'or Fr-2406
The first specimen was lot 131 in Sincona sale 46 (Zürich, May 2018), where it sold for 2,200 CHF (about US$2,640 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"Brandenburg/Prussia, Friedrich II. 1740-1786. Friedrichs dor 1764 A, Berlin. Nackte Büste mit Lorbeerkranz nach rechts. Rv. Gekrönter Adler auf Fahnen und Waffen, darüber die Jahreszahl 1764, im Abschnitt Münzzeichen A. Sehr schön-vorzüglich. (Germany, kingdom of Prussia, Frederick II, 1740-86, frederick d'or of 1764, Berlin mint. Obverse: bare, laureate bust to right; reverse: crowned eagle rising over piled arms, mintmark dividing date below. Very fine-extremely fine.)"
The second specimen was lot 1556 in Jean Elsen sale 163 (Brussels, November 2025), where it sold for €1,100 (about US$1,271 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[2] noted,
"ALLEMAGNE, PRUSSE, Royaume, Friedrich II (1740-1786), AV Friedrichs d'or, 1787 A, Berlin. D/ T. l. à d. R/ Aigle couronnée, posée sur des trophées. (Germany, kingdom of Prussia, Frederick II, 1740-86, gold frederick of 1787 [sic], Berlin mint. Obverse: laureate head right; reverse: crowned eagle posed over trophies of war. About Very Fine.)"
Altho Frederick began his reign by minting ducats, in 1741 he switched to friedrichs d'or, a renamed version of the wilhelm d'or minted by his father. The early issues are rare but the coin later came to be quite common and was imitated by other North German states as a five thaler gold coin. This type was struck in Berlin (Fr-2406) and Breslau (Fr-2407) 1764-75 with a slight premium given to the Breslau product. Frederick the Great emerged victorious from the Seven Years War but it was a very near thing, with only the death of the empress Elizabeth in 1761 saving Prussia from utter destruction.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 6.68 g, 0.903 fine gold, the first specimen 6.61 g, the second specimen 6,51 g.
Catalog reference: Olding 434. Kluge 111.1 var. Fr-2406, KM 282.
- 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]Richter, Jürg, Auction 46, Gold Coins and Medals, Zürich: Sincona AG, 2018.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- [2]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 163, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2025.
Link to:
- 1763-E 6 groscher, struck in gold
- 1763-A 8 gute groschen
- 1763-B 1/6 thaler
- 1763-F 1/6 thaler
- 1764-E schilling
- 1764-F 3 gute pfennig
- 1764-A 4 gute pfennig
- 1764-D 4 gute pfennig
- 1764-F 4 gute pfennig
- 1764-B 3 kreuzer
- 1764-E groschen
- 1764-F mariengroschen
- 1764-C stuber
- 1764-F 2 mariengroschen
- 1764-A 1/48 thaler
- 1764-F 1/48 thaler
- 1764-E 2 groscher
- 1764-A 1/24 thaler
- 1764-F 1/24 thaler
- 1764-A 1/12 thaler
- 1764-B 1/12 thaler
- 1764-C 1/12 thaler
- 1764-D 1/12 thaler
- 1764-E 1/12 thaler
- 1764-F 1/12 thaler
- 1764-A 1/6 thaler
- 1764-B 1/6 thaler
- 1764-C 1/6 thaler
- 1764-D 1/6 thaler
- 1764-F 1/6 thaler
- 1764-E 18 groscher
- 1764-E quarter thaler
- 1764-F quarter thaler
- 1764-A ⅓ thaler
- 1764-F ⅓ thaler
- 1764-A half thaler
- 1764-E half thaler
- 1764-F half thaler
- 1764-A thaler
- 1764-C thaler
- 1764-E thaler
- 1764-F thaler
- 1764-B friedrichs d'or
- 1765-A doppelter friedrichs d'or
- Coins and currency dated 1764
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