Prussia 1817-A 3 groschen
This specimen was lot 4040 in Künker sale 353 (Osnabrück, Germany, September 2021), where it sold for €320 (about US$445 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"BRANDENBURG-PREUSSEN, PREUSSEN, KÖNIGREICH, Friedrich Wilhelm III. 1797-1840. Friedrich Wilhelm III. 1797-1840. Ku.-3 Groschen 1817, A. Prägung für das Großherzogtum Posen. Etwas Grünspan, sehr schön. Erworben am 8.12.1991. (Germany, kingdom of Prussia, Frederick William III, 1797-1840, copper three groschen of 1817, struck for the grand duchy of Posen. Some verdigris, very fine.)"
Poland was partitioned by Prussia, Russia and Austria in three bites, 1772, 1793 and 1795. Poles seeking restoration of their independence were Napoleon's most faithful allies during his wars, and the grand duchy of Warsaw, a Napoleonic puppet state given to the king of Saxony to rule 1807-14, was a partial realization of that dream. Napoleon's defeat meant the Polish return to subjugation, with Russia being awarded the kingdom of Poland created by the Congress of Vienna. The Prussia regime struck this copper three groschen for the Polish territory they retained in 1816-17. It and the accompanying one groschen (KM 30) are today quite scarce.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: copper, this specimen 7,40 g.
Catalog reference: KM 31 (listed under Posen), AKS 52; J. 162; Olding 155.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [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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