Saxony 1661 3 thaler Dav-LS400
This specimen was lot 30276 in Heritage auction 3096 (Dallas, TX, March 2021), where it sold for $14,400. The catalog description[1] noted,
"German States: Saxony. Johann Georg II 3 Taler 1661 MS61 NGC, Dresden mint. Constantin Rothe as mintmaster. Struck upon the laying of the foundation stone for the chapel in the Schloss Moritzburg. Rarely offered, and by all indications a fleeting denomination for this Grundsteinlegung commemorative. Though Schnee recorded a handful of examples appearing at auction, this type was missing from the collections of Dassdorf, Merseburger, and Vogel. Surely a fitting homage to the chapel designed by Wolf Kaspar von Klengel, also the architect behind the famous Semperoper in Dresden. Possessing an ideal cabinet appearance, the obverse exhibits a mottled layer of smoky tone, while the reverse emits an icy, salt-white flash. For the sake of completeness, a few minor scratches are noted beneath the prayer book, likely precluding a finer designation, though they seamlessly blend into their surroundings. From the Paramount Collection."
We also note a quadruple thaler (Dav-LS399) and double thaler (KM 496/Dav-LS401). Other 1661 thalers include Dav-7617A and Dav-7617.
Recorded Mintage: unknown.
Specification: 87 g, silver, this specimen 87.18 g.
Catalog reference: KM 497, Dav-LS400, cf. Dassdorf-852 (2 Taler), Merseburger-2651 (same), Vogel Collection-Unl., Schnee-911.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- Davenport, John S., Large Size Silver Coins of the World, 16th-19th Centuries, 3rd Ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 1991.
- Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
- Gernot Schnee, Sächsiche Taler, 1500-1800. Frankfurt Am Main, P. N. Schulten, 1982.
- [1]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, The Paramount Collection World & Ancient Coins: Signature Auction 3096, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2021.
Link to: