Liege 1614 gigot

Jean Elsen sale 156, lot 1162

This specimen was lot 1162 in Jean Elsen sale 156 (Brussels, September 2023), where it sold for €120 (about US$154 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"LIEGE, Principauté, Ferdinand de Bavière (1612-1650), Cu gigot, 1614, Liège. Au titre de comte de Hornes. D/ Ecu couronné, écartelé de Bavière-Palatinat, entre X-II. R/ Sous une couronne, le perron entre les écus de Franchimont, de Hornes et de l'Empire. La date dans le champ. Rare. Légères traces de corrosion au droit. Très Beau. (principality of Liège, Ferdinand of Bavaria, 1612-50, copper gigot of 1614, Liège mint, struck in the name of the count of Hoorn. Obverse: crowned and quartered arms of Bavaria and the Palatinate, dividing the value; reverse: under a crown, a column divides the shields of Franchimont, Hoorn and the Empire, the date in the field. Rare, traces of corrosion on the obverse, Very Fine.)"

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 was struck 1614-15 and undated; it is listed as a twelve sols in the SCWC.

Ferdinand was the second of four prince-bishops from Bavaria. They were also dukes of Bouillon, archbishops of Cologne and electors of the Empire, all of which titles appeared in various combinations on their coins. They are as follows:

• Ernest, r. 1581-1612, archbishop of Cologne (1583-1612), bishop of Münster (1584-1612), Freising, Hildesheim and Liège.
• Ferdinand, r. 1612-50, archbishop of Cologne, bishop of Münster, Hildesheim, Paderborn (1618-50) and Liège. Never ordained as a priest.
• Maximilian Henry, r. 1650-88, archbishop of Cologne, bishop of Münster, Hildesheim and Liège. Lost the duchy of Bouillon to Louis XIV.
• Joseph Clement, r. 1688-1723, bishop of Regensburg and Freising (1685-94) and archbishop of Cologne, bishop of Hildesheim (1702-23) and Liège (1694-1723).
• Clemens August, r. 1723-61, bishop of Regensburg (1716-19) and then archbishop of Cologne, bishop of Münster, Hildesheim, Osnabrück and Paderborn but never ruled in Liège. His incompetence and extravagance ended Wittelsbach rule in Cologne.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: copper, this specimen is 1,64 g.

Catalog reference: KM 23, Chestret 614; Dengis 1049.

Source:

• Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
• ^[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.

Link to:

• (1612-50) gigot, "FERDINAND·D·G·EP·LEO·" = 1/2 liard
• (1612-50) liard, "FERDINAND·D·G·EPISCOPVS·LEOD·"
• Liege (1613) real
• (1613) double patard, plain arms
• 1613 double teston, Bouillon mint
• 1613 quadruple teston, Bouillon mint
• 1613 écu d'or, Bouillon mint
• 1613 florin d'or, Bouillon mint
• 1613 double couronne d'or, Bouillon mint
• 1614 demi-daler au lion de 15 patards
• 1614 nouveau daler Ferdinand de 30 sols
• (1614) florin d'or au type rhénan
• 1614 couronne d'or
• Liege 1615 1/3 liard = denier = 8 sols
• 1615 demi-daler Ferdinand de 15 sols
• Coins and currency dated 1614