Westphalia 1810-B 5 thaler Fr-3512
This specimen was lot 3777 in Künker sale 294 (Osnabruck, Germany, July 2017), where it sold for €2,000 (about US$2,626 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"WESTPHALEN, KÖNIGREICH, Hieronymus Napoleon, 1807-1813. 5 Taler 1810, B. GOLD. R Vorzüglich. (Germany, kingdom of Westphalia, Jerome Napoleon, 1807-13, five thaler of 1810. Scarce, extremely fine.)"
This type was struck 1810 only and is rare. The subsequent type of 1811-13 featured a bust of the king. Jerome, Napoleon's brother, served him faithfully, stripping his domain of men and money for the Russian campaign. The kingdom collapsed after the battle of Leipzig. At the Congress of Vienna, the area was restored to its former lords, Hannover and Prussia.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 6.65 g, 0.900 fine gold, this specimen 6.62 g.
Catalog reference: KM 114, Divo/S. 214; Fr-3512; Schl. 881.
- [1]Künker Münzauktionen und Goldhandel, Katalog 294: Goldprägungen | Deutsche Münzen ab 1871 | Russische Münzen und Medaillen, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2017.
- 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, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
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