Transylvania 1622-AI ducat Fr-356
This specimen was lot 3645 in Sincona Auction 101 (Zürich, October 2025), where it sold for 20,000 CHF (about US$30,144 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"UNGARN Siebenbürgen, Gabriel Bethlen, 1613-1629. Dukat 1622 AI, Alba Iulia (Weissenburg). GAB.D:G.SAC.ROM:IM.ET.TRAN.PRI.PAR Geharnischtes Hüftbild mit geschultertem Zepter nach rechts zwischen der Jahreszahl. Rv. REG.HVN.DOM.SIC.CO.AC.OPOL.RATIB.DVX Gekröntes ovales Wappen von Oppeln, Ratibor und Siebenbürgen mit dem Bethlen'schen Mittelschild zwischen A-I. Äusserst selten. Gutes sehr schön. Kleine Knickspur. (Hungary, principality of Transylvania, Obverse: Armored half-length portrait right with scepter over the shoulder, dividing the date; reverse: crowned oval arms of Opole, Racibórz, and Transylvania with the escutcheon of Bethlen. Extremely rare, Good Very Fine, Slightly wavy.)"
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 SCWC notes four different ducats for 1622: KM 128 (Kremnitz), KM 139 (Nagybanya), KM 140 (Nagybanya) and KM 149 (Alba Julia, shown here). All are rare.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.5 g, 0.986 fine gold, this specimen 3.38 g.
Catalog reference: KM 149, Resch 162, Huszar 333, Fr-356.
- 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.
- Adolf Resch, Siebenburgische Münzen und Medaillen von 1538 bis Gegenwart. Hermannstadt, 1901 (reprinted in Montreal, 1965).
- [1]Richter, Jurg, SINCONA Auction 101: World Coins, Medals and Banknotes, Swiss Confederate Coins, Medals and Banknotes, Shooting Coins and Medals, Zurich: SINCONA AG, 2025.
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