Salzburg 1709 25 ducats Fr-838
This specimen was lot 32143 in Heritage sale 3105 (New York, January 2023), where it sold for $264,000. The catalog description[1] noted,
"Austria: Mint State Salzburg 25 Ducat Issue. Salzburg. Franz Anton Furst von Harrach gold 25 Ducat 1709 MS61 NGC, Salzburg mint, Exceedingly rare as confirmed by nearly every reference which includes this very issue, and among the largest denominations produced in Salzburg through its centuries-long existence. This and similar pieces of lesser weight were struck as gifts given on the occasion of the installation of Franz Anton as Archbishop upon the death of Johann Ernst. Stunningly preserved at the peak of the conditional census and certainly considered a prize to whoever this had initially been presented to, evidenced by luxurious mint flash and hardly a trace of weakness. The ensuing near-medallic appearances project boldly when viewed in-hand providing instant verification of additional care and attention to detail that accompanied the piece's production. A beautiful composition and one that is sure to excite the next steward of this historic piece.
Ex. Heritage Auction #3051 (January 2017, Lot 34115). Franz Anton von Harrach was Bishop of Vienna from 1702 until his resignation in 1706 after having been selected by Archbishop Johann Ernst von Thun und Hohenstein as his coadjutor in 1705. He succeeded to the office of Archbishop of Salzburg upon the death of Johann Ernst on 20 April 1709 and was installed on May 27th, likely the time around which the above piece would have been gifted. His reign is considered one of the golden ages of Salzburg, where much investment was made in architecture and the arts, particularly in the burgeoning Rococo style."
The archbishop also issued a kreuzer (KM 293), a quarter thaler (KM 294), half thaler (KM unlisted), thaler (KM 295/296), quarter ducat (KM 297, also struck 1712-25), half ducat (KM 298, also struck 1715-22), ducat (KM 299, struck 1709-26), 2 ducats (KM 300), 5 ducats (KM 301), 10 ducats (KM 302), 20 ducats (KM 303) and 25 ducats (KM 304, shown here). Most of them are commemoratives.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 87.5 g, 0.986 fine gold, 46 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM 304 (Rare), Fr-838 (Rare), Probszt-1944, Zöttl-2333.
- Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
- 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.
- Helmut Zöttl, Salzburg Münzen und Medaillen, 1500-1810, 2 vols. Salzburg: Verlag Fruhwald, 2008.
- [1]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, 2023 January 9 NYINC World & Ancient Coins Platinum Session and Signature® Auction - New York #3105, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2022.
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