Prussia 1813-B 1/6 thaler
This specimen was lot 4006 in Künker sale 353 (Osnabrück, Germany, September 2021), where it sold for €220 (about US$306 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"BRANDENBURG-PREUSSEN, PREUSSEN, KÖNIGREICH, Friedrich Wilhelm III. 1797-1840. 1/6 Taler 1813, B, Glatz. Vorzüglich. (Germany, kingdom of Prussia, Frederick William III, 1797-1840, one sixth thaler of 1813, Glatz mint. Extremely fine.)"
In 1812, Napoleon was defeated before Moscow and the French army forced to retreat. His unwilling allies, including Prussia and Austria, defected and formed a new coalition which culminated in Allied victory at the Battle of Leipzig in 1813. The Prussians reopened their emergency mint at Glatz in Silesia and struck this type there in 1812-13. Both dates are scarce. The Breslau mint resumed the "B" mintmark in 1814-17 before closing again.
Recorded mintage: unknown but a scarce date.
Specification: 5.35 g, 0.521 fine silver, this specimen 5.25 g.
Catalog reference: KM 385, AKS 24; J. 31; Olding 122.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns and Talers, Since 1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1964.
- [1]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.
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