Prussia 1743-W ducat Fr-2368

Künker sale 353, lot 3338

This specimen was lot 3338 in Künker sale 353 (Osnabruck, Germany, September 2021), where it sold for €10,000 (about US$13,917 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"BRANDENBURG-PREUSSEN, PREUSSEN, KÖNIGREICH, Friedrich II. der Große, 1740-1786. Dukat 1743, W, Breslau. Größerer Kopf. Geharnischtes Brustbild r. mit umgelegtem Mantel//Ovaler Schild in gekrönter Rokokoeinfassung, darin der gekrönte Adler mit Zepter und Reichsapfel in den Fängen, auf der Brust gekröntes Monogramm, verziert mit Lorbeer- und Palmzweig, unten "W" (= Wratislawia), oben zu den Seiten die geteilte Jahreszahl 17 - 43. GOLD. RR Sehr attraktives Exemplar mit feiner Goldtönung, vorzüglich. Exemplar der Auktion Dr. Busso Peus Nachf. 357, Frankfurt/Main 1998, Nr. 2570. (Germany, kingdom of Prussia, Frederick II the Great, 1740-86, ducat of 1743, Breslau mint, large head. Obverse: armored and mantled bust right; reverse: oval shield in a crowned rococo frame, inside a crowned eagle with scepter and orb in its claws, on its breast a crowned monogram, decorated with a laurel and palm branch, at the bottom "W" (for Wratislawia), dividing the date 17 - 43. Very rare, very attractive example with fine gold toning, extremely fine.)"

This type was struck 1743 with all dates being rare. Issues of ducats in Prussia, never prolific, dwindled after the introduction of the frederick d'or in the 1740's. This type was issued at Frederick's mint in Breslau, which he had seized from the Austrians a few years earlier.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 3.49 g, 0.986 fine gold, this specimen 3.46 g.

Catalog reference: KM 900 (listed under Silesia), Fr-2368; Olding 394 c; Kluge 20.1.

Source:

• Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
• 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]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Künker Auktion 353: Die Sammlung Axel Tesmer, Teil 2: Prägungen der Könige von Preussen von der Kroning 1701 bis zum Ende der Monarchie. Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2021.

Link to:

• 1740 ducat, Breslau mint, Charles VI
• Prussia 1742-EGN friedrichs d'or Fr-2380
• 1743-W AHE 3 kreuzer
• 1743-W AHE 6 kreuzer
• 1743-W 6 kreuzer
• 1743-W 15 kreuzer
• 1743-EGN ducat
• 1744-AE friedrichs d'or, Breslau mint
• 1745-EGN ducat, monogram reverse
• 1745-EGN ducat, eagle reverse
• Coins and currency dated 1743