Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp 1723-BH sechsling
The first specimen was lot 962 in Stephen Album internet sale 28 (Santa Rosa, CA, July 2024), where it sold for $48. The catalog description[1] noted, "SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-GOTTORP: Karl Friedrich, 1702-1739, AR sechsling, 1723, initials BH, two-year type, tiny clip at 6:30, KM values at $160 in VF! Choice VF." The second specimen was lot 11537 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice Online Auction (Costa Mesa, CA, February 2025), where it sold for €65 (about US$68). The catalog description[2] noted, "GERMANY. Sechsling (Søsling), 1723 - BH. Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp. Carl Frederik. NGC AU-58. Kiel Mint. From the L. E. Bruun Collection." The dynastic affairs of Schleswig-Holstein were complicated even by German standards as the dukes were related to the king of Denmark and even the czar of Russia. This duchy was set up in 1533 for a cadet branch of the Danish royal family. The line fell extinct in 1773 and the duchy was claimed by Oldenburg and Denmark. Most coin issues are rare. This one, listed for 1723-24, did not realize anywhere near the catalog value. Wikipedia comments,
"Charles Frederick, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp (30 April 1700 – 18 June 1739) was a Prince of Sweden and Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp and an important member of European royalty. His dynasty, the Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp, were a cadet branch of the ancient House of Oldenburg, which at that time was ruling Denmark-Norway. His mother was a sister of Charles XII of Sweden. Charles Frederick married a daughter of Peter the Great and became the father of the future Peter III of Russia. As such, he is the progenitor of the Russian imperial house of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov and the patrilineal ancestor of all Russian emperors starting with Peter III, except for Catherine II."
The duke (or rather, his regent) sided with Sweden during the Great Northern War and saw his domain ravaged and occupied by the Danes. Fleeing to Sweden, he was a claimant to that throne on the death of Charles XII in 1718 but lost out to Ulrika Eleonora. He moved to Russia, marrying a Russian princess and becoming the father of tsar Peter III.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: billon, the second specimen 0.76 g.
Catalog reference: KM-220, Lange-479; Sieg-3.2; Bruun-14627.
- Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- Siegs Møntcatalog 2016: Danmark med Omrader, 48 ed., Frederikssund, Siegs Forlag ApS, 2015.
- [1]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Norman Douglas Nicol, Internet Auction 28, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2024.
- [2]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, February 2025 World Collectors Choice Online Auction - Ancients, World Coins & World Paper Money, David B. Simpson Medals & World Coins Part 1, Selections from the Richard Margolis Collection, and Selections from the L. E. Bruun Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.
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