Transylvania 1653-NB 2 thaler
This specimen was lot 1129 in Sincona Auction 100 (Zürich, October 2025), where it sold for 65,000 CHF (about US$97,968 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"UNGARN Siebenbürgen, Georg Rakoczi II. 1648-1660. 2 Taler 1653 NB, Nagybanya. .GEOR:RAKO. - D:G.PRI.T. Geharnischtes Hüftbild nach rechts mit geschultertem Zepter. Rv. .PAR.REG.HVN.DOM.ET.SIC.COM.1653. Gekröntes Wappen von Siebenbürgen mit dem Rakoczischen Mittelschild in einer Verzierung zwischen N-B. Von grösster Seltenheit. Einziges bekanntes Exemplar. Vorzüglich. Feine Patina. (principality of Transylvania, George Rakoczi II, 1648-60, double thaler of 1653, Nagybanya mint. Obverse: armored half-length bust right with a scepter resting on the shoulder; reverse: crowned arms of Transylvania with the escutcheon of Rakoczi divide the mintmark. Of the highest rarity. The only known specimen, Extremely Fine, Nicely toned.)"
This rare issue is not mentioned in the SCWC or Davenport. There is a similar single thaler from 1653 (Dav-4751) but the position of the mintmark on the reverse is different, indicating different dies were used. This is the plate specimen in Numista.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver, this specimen 58.52 g.
Catalog reference: KM unlisted, Resch unlisted, Huszar 555 (this example). Dav-unlisted.
- 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.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns, 1600-1700, Galesburg, IL, 1974.
- Adolf Resch, Siebenburgische Münzen und Medaillen von 1538 bis Gegenwart. Hermannstadt, 1901 (reprinted in Montreal, 1965).
- [1]Richter, Jürg, SINCONA Auction 100: SINCONA Jubilee Auction, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2025.
Link to: