Transylvania 1577 10 ducats Fr-279
This specimen was lot 3366 in Künker sale 264 (Osnabrück, June 2015), where it sold for €58,000 (about US$74,925 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"SIEBENBÜRGEN, FÜRSTEN Christoph Bathory, 1576-1581. 10 Dukaten 1577. * CHR * BATH * DE * SOM * VAIVODA * TRANSILVA * ET * SIC * COMES * Z * Gekröntes Familienwappen (drei Wolfszähne übereinander) von zwei geflügelten Genien gehalten//* ANNO * DOMINI * MILESIMO * QVINGENTESIMO * SEPTVAG * SEPTIMO * (Arabeske), in der Mitte: (Arabeske) / * VIRTVS / * VNIÆTA * / * VALET * / (Arabeske). GOLD. Von großer Seltenheit. Sehr schön-vorzüglich. (principality of Transylvania, Christoph Bathory, 1576-81, ten ducats of 1577. Obverse: family arms supported by two genies; reverse: three line inscription with date. Of the greatest rarity, very fine to extremely fine.)
Nach Stephan Bathorys Wahl zum König von Polen wurde sein Bruder Christoph von den siebenbürgischen Ständen zum Nachfolger gewählt. Dieser führte die Regierung unter dem Titel eines Woiwoden von Siebenbürgen bis zu seinem Tod 1581. Die Inschrift der Rückseite VIRTVS/VNITA/VALET = Die Tugend ist durch Einheit stark, zielt vielleicht auf das gute Einverständis hin, welches Christoph Bathory mit seinem Bruder, dem König von Polen, pflegte. (After Stephan Bathory became king of Poland, his brother Christof became his neighbor in Transylvania. He ruled as Voivode until his death in 1581. The motto on the reverse, "VIRTUS VNIAETA VALET" (Virtue is made strong by unity), refers to the strength given him by his tie to his brother.)"
The princes of Transylvania were sandwiched between the Ottoman Empire to the south and the Hapsburg dominions to the west and attempted to maintain independence from both. The Hapsburgs reconquered Hungary from the Turks in the 1680's and ended Transylvanian autonomy. Like many Transylvanian ducats, this type was struck the one year only.
Recorded mintage: unknown but few.
Specification: 35 g, 0.986 fine gold, 1.11 troy oz AGW, this specimen 35,57 g.
Catalog reference: Fr-279; Resch 2.
- 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.
- Adolf Resch, Siebenburgische Münzen und Medaillen von 1538 bis Gegenwart. Hermannstadt, 1901 (reprinted in Montreal, 1965).
- [1]Künker Münzauktionen und Goldhandel, Catalog 264, Gold coins | Russian Coins and Medals | German Coins after 1871, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2015.
Link to: