Saxe-Lauenburg (1678) 2 ducats Fr-2987
This specimen was lot 1955 in Künker sale 352 (Osnabrück, Germany, September 2021), where it sold for €57,500 (about US$80,023 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"LAUENBURG, HERZOGTUM, Julius Franz, 1666-1689. Doppeldukat o. J. (1678), IVL : FR : SAX . - ANG . WEST . D Geharnischtes Brustbild r.// Dreifach behelmtes, vierfeldiges Wappen. GOLD. Von größter Seltenheit. Sehr attraktives Exemplar mit feinem Prägeglanz, vorzüglich. Erworben 1935 bei der Firma Julius Jenke, München. (Germany, duchy of Lauenburg, Julius Francis, 1666-89, undated double ducat. Obverse: armored bust right; reverse: triple helmeted, quartered arms. Extremely rare, very attractive example with fine toning, extremely fine. Bought from Julius Jenke in 1935.)"
The SCWC notes this rare type for 1673, 1678-83 plus undated (shown here). This duke's death caused this branch of the Wettins to fall extinct in 1689, and the duchy was annexed by Brunswick-Luneburg, later Hannover.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 6.98 g, 0.986 fine gold, this specimen 6,93 g.
Catalog reference: KM 117, Dorfmann 123; Fr-2987.
- 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, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Künker Auktion 352: Die Sammlung Hermann Schwarz: Faszination des gepragten Goldes. Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2021.
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