Transylvania 1594 ducat Fr-297
This specimen was lot 30296 in Heritage sale 3029 (New York, January 2014), where it sold for $2,232.50. The catalog description[1] noted, "Sigismund Bathori gold Ducat 1594, Klausenburg mint, MS62 NGC. Obv. St. Ladislaus standing facing, holding ax and globus cruciger. Rev. Madonna and Child facing. Fully lustrous, and well struck for the issue, with a noticeable flan crack on the reverse edge at 1:00 and continuing through the Madonna's neck. Sigismund was elected Prince of Transylvania at the early age of nine. When he was 16, he was advised to oppose the Ottomans in order to preserve the country's independence. He later abdicated and tried, without success, to reclaim the throne. Michael the Brave repelled him both times. He died in 1613 in Prague." 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. This type is listed for 1590-98.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.5 g, 0.986 fine gold, .110 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: Fr-297.
- 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]Bierrenbach, Cristiano, Stuart Levine and Bruce Lorich, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3029, featuring Selections from the Eric P. Newman Collection, Part III, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2013.
Link to:
- 1593 ducat
- 1591 thaler
- Coins and currency dated 1594
- return to coins of Transylvania