Teutonic Order 1681 3 pfennig
This specimen was lot 2639 in Künker sale 404 (Osnabruck, March 2024), where it did not sell. The catalog description[1] noted,
"MÜNZEN AUSWÄRTIGER PRÄGEHERREN AUS DER MÜNZSTÄTTE MAINZ UND MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN MIT BEZUG ZU MAINZ. Deutscher Orden in Mergentheim. Johann Caspar von Ampringen, 1664-1684. 1/84 Gulden (Dreier) 1681, Mainz. Ohne Signatur, Münzmeister Matthias Fischer. Die Wappen von Hochmeister, Deutscher Orden und von Ampringen ins Dreieck gestellt, in der Mitte TO, oben die Jahreszahl 1681//In einer Raute Reichsapfel mit der Wertzahl 84, umher Lorbeerkranz. R Kl. Schrötlingsfehler am Rand, sehr schön +. Erworben 2013 von der Münzenhandlung Brom, Berlin. (Germany, archbishopric of Mainz, Teutonic Order in Mergentheim, John Caspar of Ampringen, 1664-84, 1/84 gulden of 1681, Mainz mint, without mintmaster's signature. Obverse: arms of the grandmaster, the order and Ampringen, "TO" in the center, date above; reverse: imperial orb with the value in a rhombus, laurel wreath around. Rare, small edge defects, choice very fine.)"
Altho the auctioneers sold this coin as part of a Mainz collection, its only connection with the city was that it was made there for the Teutonic Order. It is listed in the SCWC as a three pfennig with six dates ranging 1666-70 and 1680-81. Wikipedia comments, "After the loss of Prussia in 1525, the Teutonic Knights concentrated on their possessions in the Holy Roman Empire. Since they held no contiguous territory, they developed a three-tiered administrative system: holdings were combined into commanderies that were administered by a commander (Komtur). Several commanderies were combined to form a bailiwick headed by a Landkomtur. All of the Teutonic Knights' possessions were subordinate to the Grand Master, whose seat was in Bad Mergentheim." What properties remained to the Order were mediatized in 1809-10.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: copper, this specimen 0,68 g.
Catalog reference: KM 97, Neumann 146; Prokisch 196; Slg. Pick I (Auktion Dr. Busso Peus Nachf. 405) 961.
- Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- [1]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Katalog 404: Coins and Medals of the City of Mainz - The Prof. Dr. Eckhart Pick Collection, Part II, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2024.
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