Saxony 1796-IEC thaler Dav-2703
This specimen was lot 5418 in Künker sale 386 (Osnabrück, March 2023), where it sold for €1,200 (about US$1,551 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"SACHSEN, KURFÜRSTENTUM, Friedrich August III. (I.), 1763-1806-1827. Konv.-Taler 1796, Dresden. Ausbeute der sächsischen Gruben. Sehr selten in dieser Erhaltung. Prachtexemplar. Fast Stempelglanz. Exemplar der Auktion WAG Online 116, Februar 2021, Nr. 1099. (electorate of Saxony, Frederick Augustus III, 1763-1806-1827, convention thaler of 1796, Dresden mint, for the Saxon mines. Very rare in this quality, outstanding example, about uncirculated.)"
The elector of Saxony consistently stood as an ally of Napoleon during his invasions of Germany, for which he was promoted to king in 1806. After Napoleon's fall, Saxony was punished by having half her territory annexed to Prussia but Frederick Augustus kept his new title. This type is listed for 1794-1806 and is accompanied by a regular thaler (Dav-2701).
Recorded mintage: unknown but about two and a half times the price of the regular thaler.
Specification: 28.06 g, 0.833 fine silver, this specimen 27,74 g.
Catalog reference: KM 1036, Dav-2703; Müseler 56.1.4/37; Schnee 1094.
- Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
- Davenport, John S., German Talers, 1700-1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1965.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- 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 386: Brakteaten | Mainz | Bibliothek Prof. Dr. Niklot Klüßendorf | Mittelalter und Neuzeit | Goldprägungen | Deutsche Münzen ab 1871, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2023.
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