Transylvania 1655-NB ducat Fr-399
This specimen was lot 30305 in Heritage sale 3029 (New York, January 2014), where it sold for $4,993.75. The catalog description[1] noted, "High-Grade Transylvanian Piece Georg II Rakoczi gold Ducat 1655-NB, Neustadt mint, UNC Details (Reverse Damage) NGC. Obv. Bust right with fur cap and scepter. Rev. Madonna and Child dividing N-B with date above. Full mint brilliance, with a sharp strike. The light scrape in the right reverse field accounts for the details designation. Very rare, as are almost all Transylvania ducats in high grade." 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 1649-57.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.5 g, 0.986 fine gold, .110 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: KM 274, Fr-399.
- 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]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.
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