Regensburg (1745-65)-ILO 8 ducats
This specimen was lot 2482 in Künker sale 439 (Osnabrück, March 2026), where it sold for €8,000 (about US$11,006 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"REGENSBURG, STADT 8 Dukaten o. J. (1745-1765), mit Titel von Franz I. Stadtansicht von Regensburg, darüber strahlendes Dreieck und zwei Engel mit dem Reichs- und Stadtwappen in Kartuschen, auf der Abschnittslinie die Signatur I · L · Œ : (Johann Leonhard Oexlein, Stempelschneider in Regensburg und Nürnberg 1737-1787), im Abschnitt RATISBONA in einer mit Palmzweigen verzierten Kartusche und die Signatur B in Kranz (Johann Christoph Busch, Münzmeister in Regensburg 1741-1766)//Geharnischtes Brustbild des Kaisers r. mit Lorbeerkranz, Löwenkopfschulter, umgelegtem Mantel und der Kette des Ordens vom Goldenen Vlies, am Armabschnitt nochmals die Stempelschneidersignatur I · L · ŒXLEIN · f ·. GOLD. Von allergrößter Seltenheit. Gestopftes Loch, berieben, leicht gewellt, fast sehr schön. (city of Regensburg, undated eight ducats struck in the name of Francis I, circa 1745-65. Obverse: city view with a sunburst above, two angels support the imperial and city arms in a cartouche, initials in the exergue, below, RATISBONA in a cartouche between palm fronds; reverse: laureate, armored and mantled bust with order chain, engraver's name in the truncation. Supremely rare, plugged hole, polished, slightly bent, about very fine.)"
The city issued an extensive series of gold coins for Francis I, ranging from 1/32 ducats to ten ducats. This one is shown in the SCWC but not in Friedberg. Most of the series show various views of the Stome Bridge across the Danube but this one shows plowed fields outside the city walls. It was probably minted to apologize to Francis I for supporting his rival Karl VII in the War of the Austrian Succession.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 28 g, 0.986 fine gold, this specimen 26,63 g.
Catalog reference: KM 342, Beckenb. 213, VIII; Fr-unlisted; Slg. Bach (Auktion Künker 238) -.
- Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
- [1]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Frühjahrs-Auktion 439: Gold Coins from around the world, particularly Denmark, Habsburg, Malta and Saxony | German Coins after 1871 including Coins from the Collection of Jürgen and Erika Schmidt, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2026.
- 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.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
Link to:
- (1745-50)-ICB 15 kreuzer (1/8 thaler), Francis I/city view
- (1745-53)-ICB half thaler, Francis I/city arms
- (1745-53)-B half thaler, Francis I/city view
- (1745-53)-ICB thaler, Francis I/city view with eagle
- (1745-53)-CDO thaler, Francis I/city view
- (1745-53)-CDO double thaler, Francis I/city view
- (1745-65)-B double thaler, Francis I/city view
- (1745-65)-R 1/10 ducat
- (1745-65)-B klippe 1/8 ducat
- (1745-50) quarter ducat
- (1745-65)-B klippe half ducat
- (1745-65)-RB klippe quarter ducat
- (1745-65) half ducat, Francis I/city view
- (1745-65)-B half ducat, Francis I/city view
- (1745-50) half ducat
- (1745-65)-ICB ducat, Francis I/city view
- (1745-65)-B ducat, Francis I/city view
- (1745-50) ducat
- (1745-50)-B double ducat, for Francis I
- (1745-50) triple ducat
- (1745-50)-ICB 6 ducats, Francis I
- (1745-50)-B 12 ducats, Francis I/city view
- Coins and currency dated 1745