Transylvania 1661 ducat Fr-423
This specimen was lot 3303 in Künker sale 294 (Osnabrück, Germany, July 2017), where it sold for €36,000 (about US$48,521 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"UNGARN, SiebenbürgEN, fürSTEN, Johann Kemeny, 1661-1662. Dukat 1661, Klausenburg. IOA : KEMEN - D : G : P : TR : Geharnischtes H·ftbild r. mit Kalpag (Pelzhaube), mit der Rechten das Zepter schulternd, die Linke am Schwertgriff//PAR · REG · HVN · DO · ET · SI · CO · 1661 Gekröntes, vierfeldiges, Siebenbürgisches Wappen mit dem Familienwappen Kemeny (aus einer Krone wachsender Hirsch) als Mittelschild. GOLD. Von größter Seltenheit. vorzüglich. (principality of Transylvania, John Kemeny, 1661-62, ducat of 1661, Klausenburg mint. Obverse: half-length armored bust with felt hat with scepter on shoulder and hand on sword; reverse: crowned, quartered Transylvanian arms charged with the Kemeny family arms (a crowned deer). Very rare, extremely fine.)"
This type is recorded for 1661 only and is rare. It varies from Fr-422 in the placement of the obverse legend. 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.
Recorded Mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.5 g, 0.986 fine gold, .110 troy oz AGW, this specimen 3.44 g.
Catalog reference: Fr-423; Resch 6 leicht var, KM 351.
- 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.
- [1]Künker Münzauktionen und Goldhandel, Katalog 294: Goldprägungen | Deutsche Münzen ab 1871 | Russische Münzen und Medaillen, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2017.
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