Saxony 1609-HR 4 thaler Dav-7563
This specimen was lot 209 in Künker sale 400 (Berlin, February 2024), where it sold for €17,000 (about US$22,054 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"SACHSEN, KURFÜRSTENTUM, Christian II. Johann Georg I. und August, 1591-1611. Dicker vierfacher Reichstaler 1609, Dresden. Geharnischtes Hüftbild Christians II. r. mit der Rechten das Schwert schulternd, davor Helm, darunter Kurschild//Die geharnischten Hüftbilder von Johann Georg I. und August einander gegenüber, darunter Wappenschild des Herzogtums Sachsen. Von großer Seltenheit. Feine Patina, sehr schön. Exemplar der westfälischen Privatsammlung „Mehrfachportraits auf Münzen und Medaillen". (Germany, electorate of Saxony, Christian II, John George I and August, 1591-1611, quadruple thaler of 1609, Dresden mint. Obverse: armored half-length bust of Christian right with sword and helmet, arms below; reverse: armored bust of John George and August together, arms below. Extremely rare, fine patina, very fine.)"
This quadruple thaler is a multiyear type, unusual for so large a coin. It was struck 1606-11, probably using single thaler dies.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver, this specimen 115.84 g.
Catalog reference: KM 28, Dav-7563; Schnee 764; Keilitz/Kahnt 231.
- Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- Davenport, John S., German Secular Talers, 1600-1700, Frankfurt: Numismatischer Verlag, 1976.
- 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, Katalog 400: Selected löser of the Dukes of Guelph from the Friedrich Popken Collection | Numismatic treasures from the Medieval and Modern Times, a. o. "multiple portraits" from a Westphalian private collection, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2024.
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