Transylvania 1780-HS ducat Fr-544
This specimen was lot 42831 in Stack's Bowers Summer 2026 Global Showcase Auction (Pittsburgh, September 2026), where it sold for $2,928. The catalog description[1] noted, "TRANSYLVANIA. Ducat, 1780/76. Karlsburg (Alba Iulia) Mint. Maria Theresa. PCGS MS-61. Overdate variety. Admirably well-struck, with a crisp portrait of Maria Theresa, and overall appealing for the grade, with no signs of wear present and an especially flashy reverse. A less-encountered Transylvanian Ducat and especially SCARCE as a problem-free Mint State survivor. From the Charles “Cheech” Litman Collection." This type was struck for Maria Theresia 1765-80, all with mintmaster HG (1765-76) or HS (1777-80). It accompanied a double ducat (Fr-541). The ducats struck at Karlsburg for Joseph II (Fr-192) are filed under Austria as his bust was used all over the Hapsburg dominions. This overdate is not mentioned in the SCWC.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.49 g, 0.986 fine gold.
Catalog reference: Fr-544; KM-646.
- 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.
- Herinek, Gerhard, Austria Münzkatalog: Munzen ab 1745 und Banknoten ab 1759, 49. Auflage, Vienna: Christine Steyrer Verlag, 2022.
- 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]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, Summer 2026 Global Showcase Auction, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2026.
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