View source for Liege 1694 2 ducats Fr-329

[[Image:JE156-1204.jpg|550px|thumb|Jean Elsen sale 156, lot 1204]]

This specimen was lot 1204 in Jean Elsen sale 156 (Brussels, September 2023), where it sold for €22,000 (about US$28,227 including buyer's fees). The catalog description<sup>[1]</sup> noted, <blockquote>"''LIEGE, Principauté, Siège vacant (1694), AV double ducat au saint Lambert, 1694, Liège. D/ B. mitré du saint à g. R/ Ecu couronné, écartelé aux armes de la principauté, l'écusson de Liège sur le tout. De la plus haute rareté. Légère faiblesse de frappe. Très Beau.'' ([[Austria, Austria-Netherlands|principality of Liège]], ''sede vacante'', gold double ducat of St. Lambert of 1694, Liège mint. Obverse: mitred bust of the saint to left; reverse: quartered arms of the principality with the escutcheon of Liège. Of the highest rarity, slightly weakly struck, Very Fine.)"</blockquote> The bishopric of Liège was an ecclesiastical state in central Belgium. The surrounding territory was ruled by the Spanish Hapsburgs from about 1500 until 1699 and the Austrian Hapsburgs 1714-97. This type was struck while the episcopal throne was vacant between the death of John Louis of Elderen and Joseph Clement of Bavaria. Originally a papal practice, such issues were made in Liège in 1688, 1694 and later.

''Recorded mintage:'' unknown.

''Specification:'' 6.98 g, 0.986 fine gold, this specimen is 6,86 g. 

''Catalog reference:'' KM 110, Fr-329, Chestret 657; coll. Piat 470 (sold for 125 francs); Dengis 1131 (two examples reported); Delm-363. 

''[[Bibliography|Source:]]''
* Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, ''Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed.'', Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
* Delmonte, A., ''Le Bénélux D'or,'' Amsterdam: Jacques Schulman N.V., 1964, with supplements to 1977.
* Jean-Luc Dengis, ''Les Monnaies de la Principauté de Liege,'' 3 vols. Wetteren: Moneta, 2006.
* 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. 
* <sup>[1]</sup>Elsen, Philippe, et al., ''Vente Publique 156, Collection de Monnaies de la Principauté de Liège'', Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2023.

''Link to:''
* [[Liege 1690 2 ducats Fr-328|1690 double ducat]]
* [[Liege 1691 patagon Dav-4300|1691 patagon]]
* [[Liege 1694 liard|1694 ''liard au saint Lambert'']]
* [[Liege 1694 patagon Dav-4301|1694 ''patagon au saint Lambert'']]
* [[Liege 1695 3 ducats Fr-330|1695 triple ducat]]
* [[Coins and currency dated 1694]]

[[Category:Selections from Jean Elsen sale 156]][[Category: Coinage of the Dutch provinces]][[Category:Gold ducats of Europe]]