Brandenburg 1689-LCS ducat Fr-2281

Künker sale 264, lot 3614

This specimen was lot 3614 in Künker sale 264 (Osnabrück, June 2015), where it sold for €20,000 (about US$25,836 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"BRANDENBURG, KURFÜRSTENTUM Friedrich III. 1688-1701. Dukat 1689, LCS, Berlin. FRID . III . D . G . M - B . S . R . I . A C & E (Zweig) Geharnischte Büste r.//Mit Palmzweigen verzierter Kurschild mit Zepter, oben Krone, zu den Seiten die Jahreszahl 1 6 - 8 9, zu den Seiten des Schildes die geteilte Signatur L . C - S . (Lorenz Christoph Schneider, Münzmeister in Berlin 1682-1701). GOLD. Von größter Seltenheit. Sehr attraktives Exemplar mit feiner Goldpatina, vorzüglich. Mit altem Beschreibungskärtchen. (Electorate of Brandenburg, Frederick III, 1688-1701, ducat of 1689, Berlin mint. Obverse: armored bust right; reverse: electoral arms supported by palm branches, crown and date above, mintmaster's initials below. Of the greatest rarity, very attractive example with fine gold color, extremely fine. With old envelope.)"

This type was struck 1689-90 and is rare. The cataloguer didn't bother to mention the obvious crease on this specimen. Ducats struck after 1700 are listed under Prussia.

Recorded mintage: unknown but few.

Specification: 3.5 g, 0.986 fine gold, .110 troy oz AGW; this specimen is 3.50 g.

Catalog reference: KM 561, Fr-2281; v. Schr. 6.

Source:

• Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
• Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
• 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 Münzauktionen und Goldhandel, Catalog 264, Gold coins | Russian Coins and Medals | German Coins after 1871, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2015.

Link to:

• 1687 ducat
• 1689-LCS ⅔ thaler, Berlin mint
• 1689-SD ⅔ thaler, Stargard mint
• 1690-LCS ducat
• Coins and currency dated 1689
• return to coins of German States, Brandenburg