Saxony 1617 2 ducats Fr-2667

Stack's Bowers 2023 NYINC sale, lot 25165

Saxony in 1648

This specimen was lot 25165 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2023), where it sold for $9,000. The catalog description^[1] noted, "Enchantingly Rare Double 'Christmas' Ducat -- Illustrated in Friedberg, GERMANY. Saxony. 2 Ducats (Christmas Ducat), 1617. Dresden Mint. Johann Georg I. NGC VF Details--Mount Removed. Obverse: King Solomon standing right, holding scepter; to right, his mother seated left, wearing pointed headdress; Reverse: Two armored hands upright in prayer; cornucopia to left and right; above, tetragrammaton within the clouds. An EXCEPTIONALLY RARE and interesting type issued for the Christmas festivities, this specimen does exhibit some minor edge damage from a mount removal, but nevertheless offers great detail remaining along with a fairly vibrant golden-yellow hue. From the Augustana Collection. Ex: UBS 53 (1/2002) Lot # 1043. Ex: Kuenker 68 (10/2001) Lot # 3016." The SCWC incorrectly states that this was issued in honor of the centennial of the Reformation; KM 112 was issued for that occasion. Another double ducat (KM 111) was struck in 1617 using half thaler dies. A similar theme was used on a quadruple ducat (Fr-2665). All are rare.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 7 g, 0.986 fine gold, 26 mm diameter.

Catalog reference: Fr-2667 (this coin illustrated); KM-110; Murseburger-891.

Source:

• Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
• 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]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The January 2023 NYINC Auction: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, featuring the Taraszka Collection and the Mark and Dottie Salton Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.

Link to:

• 1617 ⅛ thaler, on the centennial of the Reformation
• 1617 quarter thaler, on the centennial of the Reformation
• 1617 half thaler, on the centennial of the Reformation, king Solomon obverse
• 1617 half thaler, on the centennial of the Reformation
• 1617 half thaler, on the centennial of the Reformation, struck on quarter thaler dies
• 1617 thaler, centennial of the Reformation
• 1617(swan) thaler
• 1617 quadruple thaler, centennial of the Reformation
• 1617 ducat, centennial of the Reformation
• 1617 double ducat, centennial of the Reformation
• 1617 quadruple ducat, centennial of the Reformation
• 1617 5 ducats, on the centennial of the Reformation
• 1617 quadruple ducat, King Solomon
• 1630 double ducat, centennial of the Augsburg Confession
• Coins and currency dated 1617