Transylvania 1657-NB ducat Fr-399
This specimen was lot 1098 in CNG Triton XXIX (New York, January 2026), where it sold for $36,750. The catalog description[1] noted, "TRANSYLVANIA, Principality. György Rákóczi II. 1648-1660. AV Dukát. Nagybánya (Frauenbach / Baia Mare) mint. Dated 1657 NB. Half-length armored bust right, holding scepter over shoulder and resting hand on hilt of sword, wearing short brimmed fur cap with feather / Madonna seated facing on crescent, holding infant Christ; coat-of-arms below. In NGC encapsulation 8414822-005, graded MS 63. Top Pop." 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. Several other ducats exist for 1657 (Fr-397, Fr-398) but this one has the Madonna on the reverse.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.49 g, 0.986 fine gold, this specimen 22 mm diameter, 3.46 g, 10 h axis.
Catalog reference: Resch 119; MBR 2180; KM 298; Friedberg 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]Gasvoda, Michael, Victor England, Eric McFadden, Dave Michaels, Bill Dalzell and Lance Hickman, Triton XXIX, Lancaster, PA: Classical Numismatic Group, LLC, 2025.
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