Saxony 1725-IGS 8 ducats Fr-2837
This specimen was lot 30283 in Heritage auction 3096 (Dallas, TX, March 2021), where it sold for $132,000. The catalog description[1] noted,
"A Presumably Unique Gold Rarity with a Provenance Dating Back over a Century. German States: Saxony. Friedrich August I gold 8 Ducat 1725-IGS MS62+ NGC, Dresden mint. Johann Georg Schomberg as mintmaster. Struck from Taler dies (cf. KM 776). A stunning coin which perfectly pairs absolute rarity with elite preservation. Stemming from an already challenging gold series, Baumgarten makes frequent remarks on the emissions of surrounding dates, such as "never [before] cited," or "never [before] mentioned," and "never [before] reported," though he does not even cite this particular type. We can affirm that while this issue is cited from two dates by both Friedberg and the Standard Catalog of World Coins, neither reference provides an illustration. Additionally, of the past major Saxon collections we have been able to consult--Merseburger, Dassdorf, Vogel, Köhler, Wilmersdörffer, and Brand--none of them contained a specimen, while the only example remarked upon by Schnee in 1982 was this very coin. By all indications, this offering may be unique, thus presenting another one-of-a-kind opportunity for even the most advanced connoisseurs of the Saxon series. Ex. Dr. Friedrich Collection (Adolph Hess April 1914, Lot 1127). From the Paramount Collection."
This type is listed for 1725 and 1731. The elector also used this design on a six ducats (1719) and five ducats (1714). The electors of Saxony were more interested in claiming the throne of Poland than developing their realm, impoverishing both countries in the process.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 28 g, 0.986 fine gold, this specimen 27.73 g.
Catalog reference: KM 854 (Rare), Fr-2837 (Very Rare), Merseburger-Unl., Dassdorf-Unl., Vogel Collection-Unl., Schnee-1015 (this coin cited), Baumgarten-Unl.
- 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.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
- [1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano and Warren Tucker, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3096, featuring the Paramount Collection of World & Ancient Coins, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2021.
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