Salzburg 1612 14 ducats Fr-700
This specimen was lot 30010 in Heritage sale 3029 (New York, January 2014), where it sold for $211,500. The catalog description[1] noted,
"1612 Salzburg 14 Ducats Extraordinary Multiple Ducat Masterpiece Markus Sittikus Graf von Hohenems gold 14 Ducats 1612, AU58 NGC. Obv. Leftward facing bust in clerical garment. Rev. Oval arms below legate's hat with St. Rupert and St. Vergilius facing at sides. A massive multi-ducat issue that, despite the certain complications of production, was made to a master's specifications. While being bold, the engraving maintains delicacy, and the strike rises to virtual completeness. Diagonal reeding adds a nice touch to the overall feel. The surfaces show even handling in the form of minor ticks throughout, and point to this piece, albeit for a short period, filling a commercial role. One hint to this fact lies in the tiny etching of "XIIII" just before the reverse legends, a certain quick-identifier of this, even at the time, very rare denomination.
This coin is a complete enigma of a type; it's a type that seems to have avoided numismatic plating for at least a half century. Further adding to the mystery, while smaller ducats of similarity (same legends and design composition) are shown to exist, the lone plated examples we have been able to locate are of the 4 Ducat size. These show Markus Sittikus on the obverse facing right, instead of the more stylized leftward facing portrait on the current example. Given the absent notation of this major design difference in previous catalogs, we must question if the present example has ever been numismatically classified. Whatever the case, we don't hesitate to call the current offering "once in a lifetime," as this unique, or nearly so, gold coin is certain to land in a cabinet of the highest sophistication.
In 1612, Markus Sittikus Graf von Hohenems (born in 1574) was elected Archbishop of Salzburg after his cousin, Wolf Dietrich Raitenaus, was deposed. Wolf Dietrich was thereafter imprisoned in the Hohensalzburg Fortrees. Sittikus died in 1619; his primary legacy consists of the numerous Baroque architectural projects that helped shape the feel and style of the city. Ex: 'Colonel' E.H.R. Green; Green Estate' Partnership of Eric P Newman / B.G. Johnson."
The Archbishop of Salzburg issued a variety of gold coins ranging from a quarter ducat (0.875 g) to fifty ducats (175 g). The larger ones were usually commemorative in nature and are rare.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 49 g, 0.986 fine gold.
Catalog reference: KM-unlisted, Fr-700 (listed only as Rare), Probszt-unlisted.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- 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.
- Helmut Zöttl, Salzburg Münzen und Medaillen, 1500-1810, 2 vols. Salzburg: Verlag Fruhwald, 2008.
- [1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano, Stuart Levine and Bruce Lorich, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3029, featuring Selections from the Eric P. Newman Collection, Part III, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2013.
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