Saxe-Gotha 1650 ducat Fr-2948
This specimen was lot 6615 in Künker sale 336 (Osnabrück, Germany, March 2020), where it sold for €1,200 (about US$1,570 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"SACHSEN, SACHSEN-GOTHA, HERZOGTUM, AB 1672 SACHSEN, Ernst der Fromme, 1640-1675. Dukat 1650 (spätere Prägung von 1673/1674), Gotha, auf den Westfälischen Frieden. Stempel von Johann Christian Freund, 1673. GOLD. R Leicht gewellt, sehr schön-vorzüglich. (Germany, duchy of Saxe-Gotha, Ernest the Pious, 1640-75, ducat of 1650 (actually struck 1673-74), Gotha mint, on the Peace of Westphalia. Scarce, slightly bent, very fine to extremely fine.)
Am 11. August 1650 ließ Herzog Ernst von Sachsen-Gotha in seinen Landen ein allgemeines Dankfest für den erhaltenen Frieden feiern. W. Steguweit konnte aufgrund von Rechnungen nachweisen, daß diese Prägungen erst 1673/1674 entstanden sind. Die Ursache dieser Nachprägung ist unklar, aber daß die 25. Wiederkehr der Friedensunterzeichnung im Oktober 1673 den Anlaß gab, ist möglich. Jedoch zog sich die Prägung bis in den Mai 1674 hin. Vielleicht hat der bevorstehende Reichskrieg gegen Frankreich und Schweden diese Friedenswunschprägung veranlaßt. (On August 11, 1650, Duke Ernst of Saxony-Gotha had a general festival of thanksgiving in his country for the peace that had been concluded. On the basis of his analysis, W. Steguweit was able to prove that these coins were not struck until 1673-74. The cause of this restrike is unclear, but it is possible that the 25th anniversary of the peace treaty in October 1673 gave rise to the occasion. However, the coinage continued until May 1674. Perhaps the impending imperial war against France and Sweden prompted this wish for peace.)"
The duchy of Saxe-Gotha was created and lapsed more than once. This version was erected in 1640 and lasted until 1680, when it was partitioned among the seven surviving sons. This type celebrating the Peace of Westphalia was struck at Gotha (shown here) and Eisleben (KM 12, 13).
Recorded mintage: 1,278.
Specification: 3.5 g, 0.986 fine gold, this specimen 3,42 g.
Catalog reference: KM 11, Deth./Ord. 69; Fr-2948; Pax in Nummis 162; Steguweit 6.
- 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.
- [1]Künker Münzauktionen und Goldhandel, Catalog 336: Gold coins from all over the World|German Coins after 1871. Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2020.
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