Saxony 1544 thaler Dav-9740
This specimen was lot 5858 in Künker sale 354 (Osnabrück, Germany, September 2021), where it sold for €1,250 (about US$1,740 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"SACHSEN, KURFÜRSTENTUM, Johann Friedrich der Großmütige und Philipp der Großmütige von Hessen, 1542-1547. Taler 1544, Goslar. 2. Schmalkaldischer Bundestaler. Leichte Bearbeitungsspuren am Rand, winz. Schrötlingsriß, sehr schön. (Germany, electorate of Saxony, John Frederick and Philip of Hesse, 1542-47, thaler of 1544, Goslar mint, second Schmalkaldic Union thaler. Light tooling on edge, minor die cracks, very fine.)"
This thaler was struck for the Ernestine line 1542-47. It was a joint issue with the other leader of the Protestant princes, Philip of Hesse. The two lords depicted struck this coin for their occupation of Brunswick. On Johann Friedrich's capture and imprisonment in 1547, the electoral cap was taken away from the Ernestine line and given to the Albertine line by the emperor as punishment for rebellion. Thereafter, the Thuringian state splintered into the Saxon duchies.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver, this specimen 28,55 g.
Catalog reference: KM MB 298, Dav-9740; Schnee 131; Schütz 433; Keilitz 228; Müller 1722.
- Nicol, N. Douglas, Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of German Coins, 1501-Present, 3rd ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2011.
- Davenport, John S., German Talers, 1500-1600, Frankfurt am Main, Numismatischer Verlag P. N. Schulten, 1979.
- Gernot Schnee, Sächsiche Taler, 1500-1800, Frankfurt Am Main, P. N. Schulten, 1982.
- [1]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Künker Auktion 354: Munzen und Medaillen aus Mittelalter und Neuzeit u. a. Braunschweig-Luneburg. Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2021.
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