Silesia-Liegnitz-Brieg 1653 ducat Fr-3200
This specimen was lot 403 in Sincona Auction 103 (Zürich, May 2026), where it sold for 3,500 CHF (about US$5,334 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"DEUTSCHLAND Schlesien-Liegnitz-Brieg, Herzogtum, Georg, Ludwig und Christian, 1639-1663. Dukat 1653, Brieg. Münzmeister Christian Pfahler. Wardein Elias Weiss. Fast vorzüglich. (Germany, duchy of Silesia-Liegnitz-Brieg, George Louis and Christian, 1639-63, ducat of 1653, Brieg mint. About Extremely Fine.)"
Silesia is considered a German State even tho the province was then under Austrian rule and is now in Poland. The three brothers issued a series of gold coins 1651-62, including five ducats (Fr-3196), four ducats (Fr-3197), triple ducat (Fr-3198), double ducat (Fr-3199), single ducat (Fr-3200, shown here) and half ducat (Fr-3201). Only the single ducat, struck 1651-62, is not obscenely expensive. The line lapsed in 1675.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.49 g, 0.986 fine gold, this specimen 3.45 g.
Catalog reference: F.u.S. 1725, KM 401, Fr-3200.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- 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.
- [1]Richter, Jürg, Michael Hardmeier, Michael Otto, Arne Kirsch, Ruedi Kunzmann and Timur Demirai, SINCONA Auction 103: World and Swiss coins and medals, Zurich: SINCONA AG, 2026.
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