Transylvania 1708 5 ducats Fr-500
This specimen was lot 1534 in Jean Elsen sale 156 (Brussels, September 2023), where it sold for €8,000 (about US$10,265 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"SAINT EMPIRE, Joseph Ier (1705-1711), AV 5 ducats, 1708, Hermannstadt (Sibiu). Pour la Transylvanie (Siebenbürgen). Frappé avec les coins du Taler. D/ B. dr. et cuir. à d. R/ Aigle impériale couronnée, avec l'écu de Transylvanie sur la poitrine. Très rare. Légères traces de pliure. Troué à 12h. Très Beau. (Austria, Joseph I, 1705-11, gold five ducats of 1708, Hermannstadt mint, for Transylvania, struck with thaler dies. Obverse: draped and armored bust right; reverse: crowned imperial eagle with arms of Transylvania on its breast. Very rare, traces of a crease, holed at 12 o'clock. Very Fine.)"
This rare issue was struck with half thaler dies. Like many issues struck for presentation, most survivors have holes or mount marks from when they were worn by their recipients. Two varieties exist: KM 536 (obverse legend "IOSEPHVS : D : G : RO :" and reverse legend "ARCHID : AVS : D : B : MA :") and KM 537 (obverse legend "IOSEPHVS • D • G • R • I • S •" and reverse legend "ARCHIDVX • AVSTR : D : B :"). The latter is shown here.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 17.5 g, 0.986 fine gold, this specimen 16,91 g.
Catalog reference: Resch 12; Her. 11; Fr-500, KM 537.
- 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.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- Adolf Resch, Siebenburgische Münzen und Medaillen von 1538 bis Gegenwart. Hermannstadt, 1901 (reprinted in Montreal, 1965).
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 156, Collection de Monnaies de la Principauté de Liège, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2023.
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