Transylvania 1683-AI thaler Dav-4820
This specimen was lot 42826 in Stack's Bowers Summer 2026 Global Showcase Auction (Pittsburgh, September 2026), where it sold for $5,124. The catalog description[1] noted, "TRANSYLVANIA. Taler, 1683-AI. Karlsburg (Alba Iulia) Mint. Michael Apafi. NGC EF Details--Cleaned. A VERY RARE date apparently known only from a single pair of dies, and for which we can find only a handful of examples in our searches of public auction records. Far more common is the 1684/3 overdate, which reuses this exact obverse and reverse, with a 4 stamped over the 3. In fact, this pair of dies was first used in 1681 before being retooled and repunched for use in striking Talers of 1683, 1684, and 1686. Evidently, mintages were low enough through all these years for the dies to survive in workable condition, and perhaps materials or diesinkers were hard to come by. From the Charles “Cheech” Litman Collection." This type was struck 1681-87 and is fairly common for a Transylvanian thaler. A klippe version exists. The Turks appointed Michael Apafi prince of Transylvania in 1661 and he held the throne until his death in 1690. On his death, he willed his principality to emperor Leopold of Austria, who was in the process of conquering Hungary from the Turks.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 28-29 g, silver, 44 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: Dav-4820; KM-492; Resch-247.
- 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]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, Summer 2026 Global Showcase Auction, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2026.
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