Regensburg (1742-45)-ICB 2 ducats Fr-2517

Sincona sale 9, lot 3834

This specimen was lot 3834 in Sincona sale 9 (Zurich, October 2012), where it sold for 20,000 CHF (about US$25,296 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"DEUTSCHLAND Regensburg, Stadt Doppeldukat o. J. (1742-1745). CAROL. VII D. G. - R. I. S. A. Belorbeertes und geharnischtes Brustbild Karl VII. nach r., im Abschnitt OEXL (Christoph Daniel Oexlein, Stempelschneider in Regensburg, 1719-1779). Rv. MONETA REIPUBL: - RATISPONENSIS. Stadtwappen in Kartusche, oben Muschel, unten Engelskopf; im Wappenschild Initialen ICB (Johann Christoph Busch, Münzmeister in Regensburg, 1741-1766). Sehr selten. Vorzüglich. (Germany, city of Regensburg, double ducat without date (1742-45), in the name of Charles VI; obverse: laureate, armored bust of the emperor, engraver's initials below ('OEXL' for Daniel Oexlein); reverse: city arms in cartouche, angel's head below, mintmaster's initials ('ICB', for Johann Christoph Busch) at the bottom of the shield; very rare, extremely fine.)"

Like most double ducats of the period, this issue is rare. Regensburg later passed to Bavaria. Single ducats (Fr-2515) and ten ducats (Fr-2510) also exists with the portrait of Karl VII. The campaign of Karl VII of Bavaria represented the last serious attempt to take the increasingly worthless imperial crown away from the Hapsburgs. Two generations later, in 1806, Napoleon would abolish the Holy Roman Empire and nobody would lift a sword in its defense. Regensburg, completely surrounded by Bavarian territory, had little choice but to strike coinage in the pretender's name.

Recorded mintage: unknown but rare.

Specification: 7 g, 0.986 fine gold, .221 troy oz AGW, this specimen 6.97 g.

Catalog reference: Beckenb-310, Fr-2517, KM 160.

Source:

• Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
• Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
• 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.
• ^[1]Numismatic Coins, Medals, Banknotes & Books: Auction 9, Zurich: SINCONA AG, 2012.

Link to:

• (1740-45)-B half batzen (2 kreuzer), Charles VII
• (1740-45)-B 4 kreuzer (batzen), Charles VII
• (1740-45)-ICB quarter thaler, Charles VII/city arms
• Regensburg (1740) thaler Dav-2613
• (1740-45)-ICB CDO thaler, Charles VII/baroque arms
• (1740-45)-ICB CDO double thaler, Charles VII/baroque arms
• (1740-45) half ducat, Charles VII/city view
• (1741-45)-ICB OEXL 15 kreuzer (1/8 thaler), Charles VII/city arms
• (1741-45)-ICB CDO half thaler, Charles VII/city arms
• (1741)-B 1/32 ducat
• (1742)-B CDO half thaler, Charles VII/city view
• (1742)-CDO thaler, Charles VII/city view
• (1742)-ICB CDO thaler, Charles VII/city view with eagle
• (1742)-CDO double thaler, Charles VII/city view
• (1742)-ICB CDO double thaler, Charles VII/city view with eagle
• (1742-45)-B half ducat, Charles VII/city arms
• (1742-45)-B ducat, Charles VII/city view
• (1742) double ducat, Charles VII, struck using ducat dies
• (1742)-ICB 10 ducats, Charles VII/city view
• Frankfurt 1742 2 ducats Fr-1002
• Pfalz-Sulzbach 1742 ducat Fr-2038
• (1745-50)-B double ducat, for Francis I
• Coins and currency dated 1742
• return to coins of German States, Regensburg