Transylvania 1672-SB thaler Dav-4800
This specimen was lot 3651 in Sincona Auction 101 (Zürich, October 2025), where it sold for 3,000 CHF (about US$4,522 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"UNGARN Siebenbürgen, Michael Apafi, 1661-1690. Taler 1672 SB, Schässburg. x MICH x APAFI - x - D:G:PR x TR Geharnischtes Hüftbild nach rechts mit geschultertem Zepter. Rv. PAR REG HVN.D. - ET:SIC.COM.1672. Gekröntes Wappen von Siebenbürgen mit dem Apafi'schen Mittelschild in einer verzierten Kartusche zwischen S-B, das Kastell von von Schässburg teilt unten die Umschrift. Sehr selten. Sehr schön. Felder etwas geglättet. (Hungary, principality of Transylvania, Michael Apafi, 1661-90, thaler of 1672, Schässburg mint. Obverse: armored half-length bust right with scepter; reverse: crowned arms of Transylvania with the escutcheon of Apafi divides the initials "S B", the castle of Schässburg below. Very rare, Very Fine, Fields slightly tooled.)"
Michael Apafi was a Ottoman puppet in the three-way war between the Austrians, the Turks and the native elite. On his death, he willed his principality to emperor Leopold of Austria, who was in the process of conquering Hungary from the Turks. All of Apafi's thalers, including this type, are rare and expensive. The SCWC reports at least eleven different thalers for 1672 (KM 414, KM 424, KM 425, KM 426, KM 427, KM 428 (shown here), KM 428A, KM 429, KM 430, KM 430A, KM 430B). Schässburg is now Sighișoara in central Romania.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver, this specimen 28.85 g.
Catalog reference: KM 428, Resch 106. Huszar 769. Dav-4800.
- 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, 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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